Whirlwind
by Comrade Buttons
Summary: Shinra & The WRO are merging. Vincent has requested reinstatement to the Turks. First, he must prove himself fit by accepting an overly-simple mission. Joined by Reno and an unexpected old friend, Vincent prevents the destruction of New-ShinRa.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue – Mission Parameters

Vincent shook his head and set the data pad containing the objectives of his mission on the desk in front of him.

"Something wrong, Vincent?" Reeve Tuesti folded his hands and leaned forward, a careful expression on his slender face.

"No," Vincent replied slowly. "It's just… Given my track record, I was expecting something more challenging than a simple recovery mission. Cetra ruins are valuable, but this is nothing your other volunteers couldn't handle."

Reeve's lips pursed as he shifted in his chair. "Yes, well… Given recent events, I thought it best to give you a less strenuous task than you're accustomed to."

"Recent events," Vincent echoed under his breath. "You mean the Omega Incident."

"Yes, Vincent. While I realize your skills are as sharp as ever – congratulations on winning the target shooting competition, by the way – I cannot in good conscience place you in a position that might compromise your mental state. Think of this as a simple field test."

Vincent's eyes narrowed at his old friend and newly appointed boss. "With all due respect, I don't need a vacation. You know as well as I do, I'm the most valuable man in the WRO. I've applied for reinstatement as a Turk. Instead, you're sending me on a hiking trip."

"Yes, I received your request. And you're right – you are undoubtedly our best fighter and tactician. But things are changing rapidly in Edge, Vincent – hell, things are changing all over the world. Rufus is back in charge, now… and he wants to make sure you're fit to guard his life before he accepts you back into the Turks."

"I should've known. Hmph. Rufus Shinra. Very well, then." Vincent stood then, recovering the data pad and storing it on his person. "When do I leave?"

"First thing tomorrow morning." Reeve leaned back in his chair with an air of relief. Vincent realized Reeve must have been uncomfortable giving him such a menial task. Knowing the order came straight from the top made it somehow less insulting, as he liked to think Reeve had more faith in him than to send him on such a simple errand.

As Vincent strode toward the door, Reeve called after him. "One more thing, Vincent. You'll be accompanied by a representative of Shinra, Inc."

Vincent paused, then turned slowly. "Who?"

"Whomever they choose. To my knowledge, it's more or less a coin toss between Rude and Reno of the Turks."

Vincent grimaced inwardly. Rude might not be such a terrible companion; at least he was quiet. The idea of traveling with Reno, however… Well, he just hoped it would be Rude, if anybody.


	2. Chapter 2

It was just after dawn, and Vincent had already been waiting for his mystery companion on the steps of the Seventh Heaven bar for nearly an hour. The sound of a lock clicking behind him made him turn. Tifa's face appeared in the doorway.

"Vincent?" Her voice was worrisome. "Is something wrong?"

Vincent shook his head. "I'm meeting someone here."

Her large brown eyes scanned the street beyond the stairs of her building before landing back on her crimson-clad comrade. "Why don't you wait inside? I've got a pot of tea steeping."

Vincent nodded elegantly, ebony strands dripping like streams of oil from his forehead. "Thank you, Tifa. I will."

Once inside, tea in hand, Vincent let his eyes wander around the bar. A fire crackled nearby, warming his shins. Unlike most of the AVALANCHE gang, he didn't spend much time here. Even before his monstrous transformation from man to monster, he'd never considered himself much of a people person. He'd always been quiet and intellectual, preferring martial arts and firearms to the social gatherings of his peers.

He did consider the members of AVALANCHE friends, however – a position that nobody had occupied in his life in a very long time. Before committing himself to the coffin deep in the basement of Shinra Manor, Vincent had wandered from Nibelheim briefly.

During his short travels, his new physique had been met with horror, disgust and even threats. The AVALANCHE team was different; they'd accepted him, welcomed him into the group. They had needed him as much as he'd needed them and, while he'd never find the words to admit it, their time together had been the happiest in Vincent's life.

Tifa stoked the fire and joined him on the sofa. "Something on your mind?"

"I was just… remembering."

Tifa smiled. "It's been a long journey, hasn't it?" He noted a fond tone of nostalgia in her voice.

"Indeed." He glanced around the room a second time. "Where is Cloud?"

"He took Marlene to visit Barrett. They should be back this evening, if you wanted to stick around."

"Actually, I'm leaving Edge shortly," he said, leaving out the bit about his exceedingly tardy traveling companion. Tifa's face sank a little. "Perhaps when I return, I'll stop by again."

"That would be nice. I know Cloud would be happy to see you. You don't come around often enough."

"I apologize," he returned quickly.

"No, don't worry about it. We all understand you're not really into crowds. Just know, you're always welcome."

"I'll try to be around more," he offered, not certain whether he'd manage to hold true to his word in this instance. He'd meant to spend more time with the others, but never managed to follow through except when a crisis of some kind broke out – which is did more than it should. Trouble seemed to follow Vincent and his team, no matter how they strived to leave their past behind.

An awkward silence fell between them then, but was quickly squelched by the entrance of Tifa's first customer of the day.

"Yo, yo, yo!" Reno jogged over to the fire and promptly threw himself in front of it, blocking the heat Vincent and Tifa had been enjoying. "Damn, cold morning, eh?" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together briskly.

"Indeed," Vincent muttered through his teeth. Tifa smiled meagerly at him before rising to her feet.

"Can I get you some tea, Reno?"

"Huh? Nah, but a beer sounds killer. No, make it a scotch!"

"But… it's only nine in the morning."

"Hey! Haven't you heard the expression, 'the customer is always right?'"

Tifa threw her hands up. "Fine, whatever. Sit down so you're not hogging all the heat."

Reno acknowledged Vincent then, dropping down on the other side of the sofa. "S'up, old man? Been waiting long?"

Vincent refrained from answering the ridiculous question by putting the tea cup to his lips.

"Hmm, Cait Sith got your tongue?"

"Reno," Tifa whined, returning with the scotch and forcing herself in between the two men. "Take my advice: don't piss Vincent off."

"Alright, babe, I hear ya." He took a long slug from the tumbler and whistled. "Good drink, Teef. So, Valentine, whaddaya say we get this show on the road?"

Vincent sighed quietly and rose from the sofa, making his way behind the bar. After setting his empty mug in the sink, he returned to the fire and set his claw hand on Tifa's shoulder. "Thank you for the tea, and for the company."

Tifa smiled and blushed slightly. "You're welcome, Vincent. Anytime."

Reno must've noticed the redness in her cheeks, because his face began to swing back and forth between them. "Hey, what the hell? Are you and Vincent… having some kind of affair thingy? I never figured you for the cheating type, Tifa. Maybe I should call Cloud…" He pulled out his mobile and flipped it open, poising a finger over a button.

That did it. Tifa's fist swung into his face, knocking the Turk off the sofa and onto his bony little ass. The phone went skidding across the floor. Vincent swiftly stopped it with the side of his foot, lifted it from the floor and snapped it shut.

"Alright," he moaned, rubbing his already red cheek. "I won't say anything. But that's pretty messed."

Tifa cocked back for a second blow, and Reno cowered at her feet. Then she dropped the fist and smiled pleasantly. "You should know, I would _never _betray Cloud. If you ever suggest I would 'cheat' on him again, I'll knock you into next year!"

"Alright! Damn, you've got some tempter, Tifa! Oww, my face…" Finally, the Turk pushed to his feet. "C'mon, Vince. Let's get the hell outta here."

"Goodbye, Tifa." Vincent nodded politely as he and the Turk made for the door.

"So long, Vincent."

"Hey, Valentine. Can I get my phone back now?"

An hour later, Edge was shrinking into the distance behind them. Vincent was keeping a good pace, but already Reno was lagging behind and complaining.

"Shit, do we have to go so fast? I mean, what's the hurry? We're just going to pick up a bunch of old junk from the Forgotten City, right?"

Vincent nodded without slowing. "It's supposed to be some ancient technology; possibly a component of the space craft the Cetra used to arrive on our planet. Shinra thinks it will help them design faster airships, and possibly help them to reopen the space exploration project."

"Space travel, huh? I bet Cid's crapping his pants. I'm surprised he's not going on this little excursion."

Vincent shrugged. "He's flying Rufus all over the world on a publicity tour. I'm surprised you didn't know that."

Reno was suddenly moving faster than Vincent, nearly overtaking him. "Of course I knew that! I just, y'know, forgot! I've got a lot on my mind, alright?"

Vincent nodded. "Such as?"

"None of your business, Valentine! Damn, they said you were the quiet type. Little did they know…" His voice trailed off when he noticed what lay ahead. Vincent stood ready, gun drawn.

Not fifty feet in front of them stood six young fighters, poised for battle.

"New-AVALANCHE," Reno breathed, noting the hand-stitched insignia that was present on the person of each man. "Shit, that figures."

Vincent's gaze moved over them slowly as he sized them up. He could tell from appearances that two of the six were novice fighters. Their weapons were cheap and of poor quality. The other four, he guessed, would pose the real challenge. A dark haired man with a muscular build stood further back than the others, and Vincent guessed he was the commander of this small team.

"That's far enough," the leader said calmly. "We know you're working for Shinra. Hand over your weapons and come with us."

Vincent heard Reno scoff beside him, followed by the familiar snap of his telescoping shock-rod. "You're going to have to do a little better than that if you want to convince me," the red-haired Turk chided. "Let's do this."

Though Vincent was not particularly eager to enter into a dispute with the up and rising anti-Shinra group, there was little else he could do but follow Reno's lead. As expected, the two least experienced fighters came at them first, but they were easily subdued without any permanent physical harm being done.

Silently, Vincent hoped the others would surrender at this. They didn't.

The next wave came – three this time – all but the commander who stood, arms crossed, and watched with a level stare as the remainder of his team was taken down. An odd smirk was on his face all the while, but by the time Vincent heard the approaching footsteps coming toward them from all directions, he and Reno were surrounded.

"Shit," Reno spat. "Ambushed."

There were thirteen now, closing in on the pair quickly. Worse, they had a rather large and dangerous looking mech with them.

Reno placed himself back to back with Vincent. "How many do you think you can you take?"

"At least six," Vincent returned.

"Man, quit showing off."

Another attack; these men were more skilled and their tactics much improved compared to that of the first wave. Much to his dismay, Vincent was forced to use lethal force this time. Perhaps, he thought, they would take real bullets more seriously.

After a crash of Thunder 3 magic and a few well-placed shots, most of the revolutionaries were down. The mech was another story. It launched a barrage of missiles, seriously wounding Reno. The Turk collapsed beside Vincent, who was now left with a mech and the commander to deal with on his own.

His next attack against the mech was critical, but the machine was resilient. At least now its guns were damaged, but it still had its melee abilities. It countered, knocking Vincent into a well-choreographed roll before taking a few more hits to its armor.

"Damn," Vincent muttered. How long could this thing stand up to his attacks? He cast Thunder 3 again, and finally the mech began to tremble and spark. Now, however, it revealed its most dangerous weapon yet. The chest compartment opened, revealing a large cannon. Vincent guessed it was still powering up, judging from the slowly rising light gauge to the left of the barrel. When it reached its full potential, he guessed the result would be deadly.

Yet he'd faced tougher enemies before. He vowed to defeat this one, and the still stationary leader, if he didn't surrender after seeing his mech wiped out.

It seemed the mech was unable to perform while its power gauge filled, so Vincent took the opportunity to switch out his material. He thrust Dark Thundaga into a slot on the Cerberus and popped and Ether to ensure he wouldn't run low on MP. That was the downside of the more powerful materia; they ate through MP much more quickly than standard spells.

Arms outstretched, eyes closed for concentration, Vincent called forth the black and purple storm, praying it would be enough to disable his foe. It wasn't; and now the gauge was nearly full. One more time, perhaps, he thought. Just then a blue light encircled the mech; a magic barrier being set in place. Vincent's eyes narrowed on the commander whose smirk had only grown more intense.

Dark Thundaga did roughly half damage now; and it wasn't enough. The gauge indicated it had reached full power as the mech began to shake and the cannon glowed to life. Vincent could smell the all-too-familiar scent of mako and briefly wondered what an anti-Shinra organization was doing misusing the lifeblood of the planet in such a manner.

But there was no time to ponder New-AVALANCHE's agenda now; the energy beam flew toward him, spreading wider with every inch of distance. He'd planned to move out of its path, but now that seemed impossible. He was fast; but without building momentum beforehand, he didn't think highly of his chances of outrunning the blast.

_Am I going to die here? _

Something glinted through the trees on his right and he heard the sound of metal on metal as a body flew into him, knocking him clear of the beam. As he glided away from certain death, the gentle scent of blossoms tickled his senses.

Small, rough hands moved over his face. "Get up, Vince! Get up!"

"Yuffie?"

Springing to his feet, Vincent felt his odds improving. With a nod, Yuffie launched the Conformer at the mech, severely crushing one side of its cannon before casting Debarrier on the contraption. Vincent, in turn, launched one more Dark Thundaga attack, and the machine sputtered, then collapsed. A cloud of black smoke began spewing from it, and the smell of burning plastic wire insulators replaced the clean forest air.

The victors stood ready for their next challenge, but the man on the sidelines seemed ready to flee.

"So, what'll it be?" Yuffie demanded of him, in a voice nobody would take seriously if she didn't have the martial art skills to back it up. "I can do this all day."

The man took one final glimpse of the smoldering mech and bolted into the forest, calling over his shoulder. "This isn't over, Shinra dogs!"

"Crap!" Yuffie tried, starting after him. Vincent caught her by the arm. "What are you doing? He's getting away!"

"Let him go," Vincent said, releasing his grip on her.

Yuffie huffed and shook her head. "You sure? What if he comes back with reinforcements?"

Vincent stared after the man for a moment. "I have a feeling we'll meet again, but not today. Right now, Reno needs help."

"Right!" Yuffie said, the cheerfulness returning to her voice easily. She crouched beside the unconscious Turk and cast Full-Life on him.

"So that's where that materia went," Vincent muttered as Reno stumbled to his feet. Yuffie grinned and stored the orb away quickly.

"Ahh, what'd I miss?" Reno slurred. "Damn. It's over already?"

"No thanks to you!" Yuffie taunted, throwing her hands against her hips. "I had to bust in here and save Vince's ass yet again. That's twice now, Vincent!"

Vincent chuckled deep in his throat.

"Wow," Reno exclaimed. "You actually got Stone-Cold Vincent Valentine to laugh. What's your secret?"

Yuffie shot Vincent a sympathetic look. "Vincent's got a great sense of humor," she said. "Which means he only laughs at MY jokes!"

"Pfft! You AVALANCHE guys are we-eird!" Reno finally stopped wobbling and flipped his bangs out of his face dramatically. "So, let's keep moving. There'll be hell to pay if my boss doesn't get this artifact."

"Where are you guys headed?" Yuffie asked, oozing with curiosity.

"The Forgotten City," Vincent answered plainly.

"Can I come?"

Vincent was quiet for a moment before answering. "If you wish."

"Sweet!" Reno cried. "She can share a sleeping bag with me!"

Yuffie pushed Reno playfully. "Forget it, Turk! Don't even think of trying anything while I'm asleep, either, or I'll bust your nose in!"

Reno winked at her and Vincent found himself clenching a fist in response. "Let's get moving," he said sternly, turning to go. Soon he heard the footfalls of his companions falling in time with his own.

It was strange seeing Yuffie again. Back during the Omega Incident, it had seemed to him they had grown closer than before. There had been more than one occasion since then when the lively ninja had appeared in his thoughts and even his dreams.

Vincent stifled a sudden urge to glance back at her over his shoulders. He knew it was hopeless to even consider the possibility of having a relationship with Yuffie. She was a good friend, but that was all she would ever be. And that was alright, he told himself. He was accustomed to being single. It just struck him as odd that this rambunctious young woman should capture his thoughts when so many others – very attractive members of his fan club, even – failed to make an impression at all.

Yes, it was strange… But it was not an unpleasant occurrence, he decided.


	3. Chapter 3

After about an hour of walking, Vincent was having second thoughts about Yuffie joining the party. Behind him, she and Reno flirted relentlessly – though, in Yuffie's defense, she was more accurately finding humorous ways to bust the Turks balls each time he made a pass at her.

"Y'know, I always thought you were cute?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Really."

"Yeah, seriously!" Reno shouted. "But, I wanted to wait before I asked you out, since you were only sixteen and all…"

Yuffie laughed. "Well you can just wait forever, because I'm not interested in dating _old men_."

Vincent winced at that, even though the insult was not directed toward him. Hadn't that been the term Reno had used just this morning? And it was true… Vincent 's birth had taken place well over fifty years ago, although his body appeared no older than it had during his short career as a Turk. He'd been twenty-five then; hardly an old man.

"Old? I'm only twenty-four! What are you, now? Almost twenty, right?"

"Ugh!" Yuffie pushed at him, a look of disgust on her youthful face. "You're such a chomo, Reno!"

"Chomo? What the hell? Vincent, are you hearing this crap?"

Vincent ignored him, pressing on at his usual pace. The misfounded courtship had been going back and forth like this so long that he was beginning to lose his patience.

He heard Reno whisper something then – probably thinking only Yuffie could hear him. "I don't get why you hang out with that guy. He's such a stiff."

Vincent chose to pretend he hadn't heard the rude comment. To his surprise, he heard Yuffie's hand coming upside Reno's head, followed by the sound of her springing steps rushing forward, catching up to him.

She slowed again when she was beside Vincent and he allowed himself a minute sidelong glance. There was something pitiful in Yuffie's eyes, but her smile was as radiant as ever. "Something wrong?" he asked quietly, secretly reveling in the fact that she'd left Reno in the dust to walk beside _him_.

"No," she said. "I just wish Reno wasn't here."

Shrugging, he replied, "he'll be useful in a fight."

"It was more fun when it was just you and me, don't you think?" she asked giddily, jumping playfully in his path with a smile that could've melted ice. It was true; he had fond memories of the days when they'd both been active WRO members. Due to their unexpected ability to work exceedingly well together, they'd frequently been paired up for important missions.

It had irritated him at first, back then. Yuffie had always struck him as an overactive teen in the days when they'd been pursuing Sephiroth. Perhaps the seriousness of the events that proceeded had helped to mature her; or maybe he'd just been to hard on her back then. Either way, he'd learned to tolerate and, eventually, enjoy her company.

Suddenly Reno was between them. "Hey, what are you guys talking about? You'd better not be talking crap about me!"

Yuffie backhanded him, but this time Reno was quick enough to dodge the attack. "Ha! I love a woman who can fight!"

Vincent shot Reno a cold glare; it seemed effective, as the young Turk flinched a little before purposely falling a few paces behind.

"So, how've you been, Vince?" Yuffie asked as they began walking again.

"I'm well," he answered. "And you, Yuffie?"

Yuffie giggled. "It's been crazy these last few months. Dad put together a council to replace the traditional monarchy in Wutai… A lot of people weren't happy with it, but I'm proud of him. I wasn't really looking forward to taking over, if you know what I mean. Of course, Godo's still pretty much in charge. He can override the council on just about anything. I guess I'll have that authority some day, too…" Her voice trailed off a bit.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Vincent noted.

"To be honest, I don't want the responsibility. Don't get me wrong. I love Wutai, and I hate the changes I've seen take place in my lifetime… We're still feeling the repercussions from that stupid war. But, when I think about everything else that's happened since I joined up with Avalanche, Wutai seems so small to me. It's just a piece of the larger puzzle, and it doesn't really matter if we're a tourist town or not."

Vincent made a sound in his throat, letting her know he was listening.

"Sorry," she said suddenly. "I didn't mean to go off on a tangent like that. You probably don't care, huh?"

"Of course I care, Yuffie."

He noted a redness in her face suddenly. Was she blushing? Quickly she turned her face away. "Oh, yeah. I forget, sometimes, that you're from Wutai."

"I am," he agreed. "But that's not-"

"Head's up!" Reno shouted. Yuffie and Vincent reacted simultaneously, but the slender figure up ahead remained still.

"More of those damn New-AVALANCHE imposters!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Wait here," Vincent ordered before vanishing into the forest. Yuffie and Reno were left scratching their heads as Vincent rushed enemies from the side.

He was able to separate one from the bunch and held his hostage at gunpoint. "Start talking," he said coolly.

With an uneasy motion, the dark-haired captive raised his hands. "W-what do you mean?"

Pressing the barrel hard against his head, Vincent let a low growl be heard. "I know you're New-AVALANCHE. What are you doing in this forest?"

"That's none of – oh, shit! Valentine?"

"So you know who I am," he said, mostly to himself. "Interesting."

He crouched then, dragging his hostage down into the brush with him, as the sounds of footsteps grew nearer. He watched with great interest as half a dozen New-AVALANCHE troops passed by, never noticing him. Did Yuffie and Reno have the sense to hide? He told himself Yuffie might, but Reno was not a safe bet. More than likely, he'd take on the entire troop and get Yuffie killed along with himself.

There was nothing to do but listen for signs of trouble. To his great relief, there were none. The troop trekked beyond the range of his hearing and, a moment later, Yuffie and Reno could be heard moving stealthily toward him.

He rose then, silently ordering the hostage to remain down, and signaled his companions.

"Who's this chump?" Reno asked, eyeing the N-A youth.

"He's going to tell us what New-AVALANCHE is up to," Vincent said in a serious tone.

"Vincent?" Yuffie said softly, setting a hand over the cuff of his claw prosthetic. He turned to her quickly. "Do you think we should call…" Her voice trailed off as she realized she'd almost revealed their connection to ShinRa and the WRO. Vincent shook his head slowly.

"Reno," he called. The Turk's head snapped up. "Tie him to that tree and keep an eye out."

Then he holstered Cerberus and, setting his good hand on Yuffie's shoulder, lead her away from the scene.

When they were beyond Reno's hearing range, he stopped and turned to her.

"They're heading for Edge, aren't they?" she asked worriedly.

He nodded. "Seems that way."

"Shouldn't we warn Reeve and the others?"

"They're aware of the situation. These troops we've passed have been so few in number, I doubt they'll be able to stand up to the WRO men. Even if they did, they'd have the rest of the Turks to contend with."

"You forget how powerful a small group can be when they believe in their cause. The original AVALANCHE group had only five members, plus Cloud. The rest of us went on to defeat Sephiroth, Weapon _and _Meteor."

Vincent's face turned momentarily grave. "You're right. I'll call."

Yuffie waited while Vincent flipped his phone open and located Reeve's number. He held the device to his ear a moment before a voice could be heard on the other line.

"Reeve? It's Vincent. I'm calling to let you know, we may be taking this New-AVALANCHE group too lightly. We've encountered two small squads in the past three hours."

He was silent a moment, listening.

"We stopped the first group. Out of the second, I took a hostage. The rest are headed toward Edge now."

His brow furrowed then.

"I believe I can get him to talk. He's young, inexperienced… But… Yes, I understand. Very well."

At that, Vincent snapped the phone shut and placed it back in its case at his belt.

Yuffie's round eyes implored him for answers.

"Reeve wants me to release the boy."

"Why?"

"Because… this is not my mission."

Yuffie shook her head. "What's going on, Vincent? You're not telling me something."

"I… Evidently, my status within the WRO is being temporarily suspended. They won't say so directly, but they're afraid I may have lost more than Omega that day… I'm being tested, to ensure I'm prepared."

"Prepared for what?"

"I've applied for my old job back," he said, grinning ever so slightly.

Yuffie frowned. "The Turks? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Vincent shook his head. "The WRO is being broken apart. Some will remain as New ShinRa security troops."

"I can't see you as a rent-a-cop, Vince." Her tone was light once again.

"Then you understand," he stated with a nod.

"Actually, I always pictured you as a chocobo farmer." Vincent cocked his head at this, making Yuffie laugh. "Just kidding, just kidding! Don't hit me!"

Taking a step back, Vincent regarded her with offense. "I would never strike you, Yuffie."

"I know, Vince. It was just a joke." She smiled, but it did little to change his expression. "Come on," she said then, giving up. "Let's go cut that guy loose before you get in trouble."

************Whew! Thanks for waiting on this chapter, everyone. I appreciate the support I've been receiving in the form of 2-5 emails a day letting me know that many more people have added this story to their favorites or subscriptions.

This story is not going to go along as easily or quickly as the first one but, hopefully, it will be a better, deeper and more original plot.****************


	4. Chapter 4

"What the hell are you doing?" Reno shouted as Vincent's claws slashed through the rope binding their captive.

"Releasing him," Vincent replied coolly, his gaze leveling on the New-AVALANCHE soldier.

"He's got valuable information!" the fiery-haired Turk hollered. "You can't just let him go!"

"We've got orders," Vincent said sternly.

That silenced Reno for the time being.

The young man rose, rubbing his sore wrists. "You're with ShinRa?" he asked. There was no hostility in his voice.

Vincent nodded slowly.

"You two," he said then, waving a finger between Vincent and Yuffie. "I know who you are. You were in the original AVALANCHE. You fought against ShinRa! How can you be working for them now, after everything they've done?"

Yuffie spoke before Vincent could. "Things change," she said. "We haven't forgotten the past. Neither has Rufus ShinRa."

"You're fools. That bastard will never change. Whatever he said to convince you otherwise is a lie."

"What's your name?" Yuffie asked then.

"It's Michael. But don't think for one second that makes us friends."

"Michael, I'm Yuffie. This is Vincent and Reno. Believe me when I say, we were pissed when we found out Rufus was still alive and planning to rebuild ShinRa. It wasn't easy to accept that he'd changed… And I don't know if we'll ever be able to fully trust him after everything he did. But we didn't fight for the sake of fighting."

"Neither do we!" Michael protested.

Yuffie raised her hands in an attempt to calm him. "All I ask if that you understand your enemy before you judge him. We've joined with him because we believe he's going to lead us to a better future."

Michael gritted his teeth. "You've all been brainwashed."

"I assure you, we are all in our right minds," Vincent interjected. "You've modeled your organization after us and adopted our name. We're asking you to at least consider trusting us."

Hesitating, Michael glanced at each of their imploring faces. "You're all traitors!" he shouted, then darted off into the forest.

Yuffie started after him, but Vincent held an arm out to block her path. "Let him go, Yuffie. You did what you could. He won't be able to forget this encounter easily. In time, perhaps he'll learn to think for himself."

"I hope you're right, Vince."

"Let's press on," he said then. The others nodded in agreement and it wasn't long before Reno had picked up where he left off with regard to Yuffie.

"What's it gonna take for you to give me a chance?" he asked.

The ninja's eyes rolled back in her head as she pretended to consider his query. "Do you want the long answer or the short answer?"

"Whatever, babe! Just give it to me straight."

"Okay. Then, to start with, a little maturity, some brains, manners, respect-"

"I notice you haven't mentioned _looks_. I knew you thought I was cute."

Yuffie glanced sidelong at him then. "You're alright I guess. But looks alone just aren't enough. Besides, Reno, I'm not really interested in dating anyone right now."

"Who said anything about _dating_?" Reno stuck his tongue out in a vulgar manner, causing Yuffie to perform a mock-vomit motion.

Suddenly, Vincent stopped and whirled on the Turk. Reno froze, still holding the pose.

"How long do you intend to keep up this banter?" Vincent demanded sternly. Reno's face shrunk back into a scowl.

"What's your prob, Valentine? We're just having a little fun! Right Yuff?"

Yuffie made a noise of disgust in her throat and stepped away from him.

"Yeah, sure, act like it's all me. But I know you want me. Keep this up, and I might just change my mind about you!"

"That's enough!" Vincent nearly shouted. His hands were clenched into tight fists and his eyes seemed to burn furiously, the red irises swirling with anger.

Yuffie's head fell, hiding a look of embarrassment.

"Fine," Reno said. "Just trying to have a little fun. Babysitting you is about as boring as it gets."

Vincent flinched even as Yuffie's eyes widened. "Vincent? Are you alright?"

Vincent ignored the question, frozen in place momentarily. Then he gritted his teeth and began walking again.

For a period of about fifteen minutes, there was silence. Vincent was left alone with his thoughts – none of them very pleasant – and marched at the head of the party at an alarming pace.

Suddenly Yuffie was beside him, nearly jogging to keep pace. Out of his peripheral vision he could see her watching him. It wasn't until she spoke that he acknowledged her.

"I'm sorry, Vincent," she said quietly.

Vincent slowed then, relieving Yuffie of the extra effort of keeping up with him.

"Reno's an ass, but if I'd know it bothered you so much-"

"Don't worry about it," he returned calmly.

"I know you're trying not to look angry, but you can't fool me. I know you too well, Vincent."

"Hmph."

She hesitated before continuing. "…What did Reno mean back there about babysitting you?"

Vincent snarled briefly at the word, then shook his head. "It's nothing," he said. "Don't concern yourself."

"But I am concerned, Vincent. For as long as I've known you, there's never been a reason for anyone to distrust you. So why is Reno on this mission with you? What's going on?"

Her queries were answered only by a brittle silence.

"Dammit, Vince! Answer me!"

He stopped then, very suddenly, and turned slowly to face her. Reno stopped a good pace behind them, refusing to meet either of their gazes.

"I've already told you I've applied to the Turks."

Nodding, Yuffie replied, "yes."

"It has been a great long while since I worked for them. They want to make sure I am up to par with current standards."

"In other words, this mission is just a field test to make sure you're still in shape? I don't buy it, Vinnie. You're going to have to do better than that."

Vincent closed his eyes and, when he opened them again, Yuffie was smiling knowingly at him.

"Very well," he said slowly. "It is… humiliating to say this aloud. It seems I have an unstable personality and a pension for disaster. They're not certain they want somebody like me in the Turks."

"But you _used_ to work for them. What's the diff?"

Vincent looked down at himself, seemingly indicating his dark transformation from man to monster.

Yuffie's smile dissolved into an expression of deep concern. She touched his shoulder affectionately.

"I'm sorry, Vincent. Would you like me to talk to Reeve? He ought to know better."

"No… I'm going to do as they ask. If I must prove myself, then that is what I will do."

Yuffie shook her head solidly. "You shouldn't have to. Not after everything you've proven already."

They exchanged long glances then. At last, Vincent bowed his head. "Thank you, Yuffie. That… means a lot to me."

Yuffie's cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. She bowed her head in attempt to hide the blush. Vincent felt the unfamiliar tug at the corners of his mouth as a smile began to appear there.

Reno's whine shattered the moment. "Hey, can we keep moving please? There's a town, like, ten minutes away and I could really use a nap!"


	5. Chapter 5

"I thought you said there was a town up here!" Yuffie complained after another half hour had passed.

Reno chuckled. "Well, I've been known to make the _occasional _mistake."

Without looking back, Vincent said, "the town is still hours away." Noticing Yuffie shivering, he added, "we should make camp soon."

They stopped shortly thereafter and set about making a fire. The sun was slipping behind the trees when they gathered around it, Yuffie holding her hands to the flames to warm them. Vincent sat on the ground while Reno and Yuffie had found a short log to rest upon.

"Brrr!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Why does it have to be so cold?"

"You could have dressed more warmly," Vincent observed.

"Here," Reno said, pulling his navy blue suit jacket off and draping it over her. "How's that?"

Smiling, Yuffie held the jacket tightly around her. "Thanks, Reno. But aren't you going to get cold?"

Vincent lowered his gaze, focusing on the chaos of the flames.

He heard Reno scoot closer to Yuffie. "No worries," he said slyly.

They had a small meal of bread and dried meat which Tifa had packed for their journey. She'd also included a stash of tea which Yuffie eagerly prepared.

"Yummy!" she said after the first sip of the steaming beverage. "Nothing like hot tea on a cold night."

"You know what else is nice on a cold night?" Reno asked roguishly, snaking an arm over her shoulders.

Vincent rose very suddenly and made for the tree line. "Excuse me," he said. Then he was gone.

Yuffie stared after him a moment. "I wonder what's wrong with Vince."

"He probably just wanted to give us some alone time," Reno said, his breath suddenly hot against her neck.

"Reno!"

She felt his lips brush against her skin. "Don't fight it, Yuffie. It's just us now."

SMACK!

Yuffie's fist came into hard contact with Reno's cheekbone, knocking him off the log.

"You're… you're such a jerk!" She dropped his jacket on top of him before stomping into the woods with her temper boiling over.

She kicked at rocks and dirt clods as she made her way through the woods, muttering to herself. "Such a… such a stupid jerk. Who does he think he is?"

She wasn't certain how long she'd walked when something caught her eye. Turning on her tiny flashlight, she shone it on a nearby tree, revealing four deep horizontal gashes in the wood. She moved further in and found similar markings on another tree, then another.

_Vincent…_

Following the trail, she soon heard the sound of flowing water. Within a few moment, she'd come to a small brook. Behind it was a small glade, surrounded on all sides by the forest. The brook and grass beyond it were bathed in moonlight. The scene was enchanting.

She wanted to get a better view so, sliding down the sloping bank, she made her way to the edge of the brook. What a beautiful place. She closed her eyes and reveled in the moonlight and the sound of the brook at her feet.

Suddenly something stirred behind her. She spun around, hand already reaching for her weapon, then froze.

"Vincent."

Vincent's black mane was unusually tussled, his expression all wrong.

"Yuffie…" His tone was cold and hollow. "What are you doing out here?"

She felt herself turn red, remembering Reno's all-too-forward advance. "It's Reno," she muttered, shifting restlessly. "He's… such an ass."

Vincent moved toward her silently and was suddenly standing only a few inches away. "What happened?" he asked, worry in his voice.

"He… Oh, it's embarrassing. Don't worry about it. I clocked him good."

Sighing, Vincent bowed his head so that his forehead was almost touching hers.

"Umm… Are you okay, Vince?"

"I'm fine," he said shortly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Shrugging, Yuffie indicated the area behind her. "I saw those trees…"

Another sigh, this one more upset. "Sorry."

"Why'd you do that?" When he didn't answer, she probed further. "Because of me and Reno?"

Vincent's eyes went wide with fear. She knew. Despite his best efforts to hide his feelings, she _knew_. What could he say now? He knew he was incapable of lying to her; he'd tried before, and failed. What other options were there? Should he admit his feelings and risk losing her as a friend? But perhaps she returned his affections – why else would she bring it up?

"Vincent?"

"Were you planning on crossing the stream earlier?" he blurted out, changing the subject.

Yuffie cocked her head slightly, then nodded.

Vincent took a few steps toward the water, then turned back and held out his left hand.

Yuffie eyed the claw and quickly he retracted it, offering her the other.

To his surprise, she moved closer and it was his claw she took. Vincent smiled a little. She wasn't afraid.

He knew Yuffie would have little trouble keeping her balance, but it seemed wise to take precaution. It was a dangerously cold night – getting wet would likely make her ill.

Carefully he stepped onto the first stone, looking back to find Yuffie calculating the path across the water.

They went slowly, avoiding the more slippery stones and, at the last one, Vincent lifted Yuffie, setting her down on the bank. Lithely, he made the short jump to the shore as well.

Without speaking, the two figures made their way up a gentle slope and into the knee-high wet grass. The sounds of the forest surrounded them now, growing more prominent as they made their way further from the brook. There were night birds, insects, nocturnal hunters – all going about their nightly routine for survival.

They stopped near the center of the glade.

Vincent found the scene peaceful and most of his former rage had left him at this point. In his heart, he knew Yuffie would never go for Reno. But she hadn't shown any interest in him, either. Could it be she'd already met somebody? No, surely she would have shared this with him. Or, perhaps, not. Why should she? That was her business…

Yuffie's voice broke him from his frantic thought process.

"It wouldn't work, Vincent."

Vincent started, turned to her slowly.

"I've thought about it… a lot. Between your immortality and our age difference, I just don't think it would work."

_Curse this body_, he thought – not for the first time, nor the last.

"I understand," he lied. Defeat washed over him.

"No," she said slowly. "You don't…"

Her hands reached for him then, touching his face. He stared back at her in disbelief.

He returned the gesture with his right hand, leaving the claw at his side. Her skin was soft and cold, and seemed so delicate in his hands. He was confused, frightened. Yet those feelings were quickly suppressed as he felt her moving toward him.

Slowly their lips met, hovering at the brink of a kiss, until he could stand it no longer.

In a swift motion, he lifted Yuffie off the ground with one arm and pressed his mouth tightly against hers. Their lips moved against one another eagerly, as if making up for time lost.

Without thinking, Vincent let his claw fall against Yuffie's hip, but she didn't shy away. The sharp points of the mechanical fingers dug into the denim of her shorts. Yuffie gasped but it seemed out of pleasure rather than fear.

Finally, and reluctantly, they pulled slightly away from each other, breathing heavily.

Vincent noted how Yuffie's eyes seemed to sparkle, as though they'd absorbed the stars.

Her words from earlier began to nag at him then. If it had been painful to think that they could never be together, then it was agony to imagine losing her now.

"What you said before…" he began warily. "You said it wouldn't work out between us."

Yuffie shook her head. "I'm willing to try," she said nervously. "If you are."

Vincent considered for a moment. "If you've already doomed our relationship to fail… What hope do I have?"

"I didn't say that, Vincent. Common sense tells me this is crazy… But I can't stop myself from feeling this way about you. And I know you care for me. I've known for a long time... And I want this to work."

Vincent almost laughed. "Even if I wanted to turn you away, I don't think I could. Emotions have little to do with logic. I suggest we play this by ear and avoid making unnecessary predictions as to how it will end."

Yuffie nodded, smiling widely. "Agreed!"

He reached for her then and felt surprised when she bounded so willingly into his arms. The same words echoed through his mind over and over, causing a joy he had not felt in ages. _She's mine._


	6. Chapter 6

Vincent removed his tattered cloak and set it down over the wet grass for he and Yuffie to sit on. The normally hyperactive ninja was unusually peaceful as she leaned against Vincent's shoulder, staring up at the sky.

Vincent's eyes, too, scanned the heavens in silent thanks for what they had given him this night. He squeezed Yuffie closer to him then and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. She shifted then, pulling away from him just slightly.

"Vincent?"

He turned a serious face to her. "Yes?"

"I want you to know… I'm proud of you."

Vincent nearly laughed. "Why?"

"Because you know this mission is a complete waste of your time, and you're doing it anyway. Because you do whatever it takes to reach your goals."

Vincent considered this for a moment. "Is that such a rare quality?"

Yuffie shot him a sarcastic look. "Look who you're talking to, Vince! If it were me, I would've told Reeve to shove it up his $$!"

Bowing his head, Vincent allowed himself a thin smile. "I… considered that option. Albeit with fewer anatomical references."

Yuffie giggled. "See what I mean? You don't let pride or ego stand in the way of your dreams. You see something you want, and you go for it!"

"That's not entirely true… I would have never admitted my feelings for you if you hadn't instigated it."

Yuffie blinked. "Seriously? _Never?_"

Vincent shook his head. "Never."

"But… why not?"

Shrugging, Vincent said, "because there are a few things I am afraid of, believe it or not. One of them is losing you. I told myself I could be content with friendship. At least, it was preferable to never seeing you again."

"Aww, Vince. You wouldn't have had to worry about that, you know."

Vincent's left eyebrow rose slightly. "No?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I had a crush on you from day one. You were so dark and mysterious… and clearly the most dangerous of all the AVALANCHE members. It used to drive me crazy!"

"Those are hardly qualities you should admire in a man." Vincent's voice had turned slightly bitter.

"Says who?"

"Normal people."

"Well, excuse me for thinking you were hot."

"You're excused… For the time being, anyway."

"Good! Now stop interrupting! The point is, when I got to know you… When I heard your story about Lucrecia and Hojo… I think that's when I really felt connected to you for the first time."

"Pity, then." He knew it was a common effect he had on women. He'd received countless letters from fan girls expressing a strong desire to comfort him, to fix him. Could it be Yuffie had fallen under this spell?

"Vincent, stop it. Why do you always have to rationalize everything?"

Vincent was taken aback slightly. He knew he was prone to such behavior, but nobody had ever called him out on it before.

"Possibly because I know I don't deserve you… and I'm trying to find out why you've chosen to bestow your affections upon me."

Yuffie was dumbfounded momentarily. "Vincent Valentine… You…" She looked angry. "That's just insulting!" she finally managed to blurt out. She rose to her feet quickly then, jerking herself out of his embrace.

"Yuffie, wait!"

She'd stomped a few feet away from him, then stopped. "Why do you have to do this?" she asked quietly. "What is it that won't let you just accept that people care about you? Why do you have to go through life believing you don't deserve love from others?"

Vincent found he couldn't answer except to apologize. "I'm sorry, Yuffie."

Yuffie stood a moment, then sighed, relaxing her shoulders. Vincent could feel the anger subsiding. She turned to him and strode carefully forward until she was less than two feet away. He eyed her cautiously, as if expecting a lashing.

"No, I'm sorry… That's just how you are. I knew it from the start, and I know it now. And… if I love you, then I have to love all of you."

_Love. _Vincent felt his heart skip at the word.

"Just promise me something, Vince."

"Yes?"

"Promise me you won't doubt the sincerity of my feelings for you. When I say something, I mean it. I know you respect me… so trust me."

Vincent nodded. He hadn't really thought of it that way before… and it did make this easier to accept. He hadn't realized how down on himself he still was. In the last three years, he'd come to recognize his worth as a friend, as a companion in battle. But this was different. Somehow he could not accept that Yuffie's feelings for him were not somehow deluded. Perhaps it was simply her age. When she matured, she might lose interest.

He paused then, catching himself doing the opposite of what she'd asked of him.

"I promise, Yuffie."

As though that had been a magic password, Yuffie lunged into his arms once again. His doubts and shortcomings faded until she was all that remained of his world. He swore to himself then that he'd do anything to maintain this new relationship, even if it meant accepting the ridiculous notion that he deserved it.

They lay together in Vincent's cape in the glade until just after sunrise. Once or twice, Yuffie had nodded off for an hour or so. Vincent had taken these opportunities to lean over her, examining her features as he'd never been able to before. She had the odd scar here, a blemish there… But she was truly beautiful.

When the sun had illuminated the glade, Yuffie had risen and skipped off into the woods on what she referred to as a "nature call." When she returned, Vincent had replaced his cape, concealing the lower portion of his face.

"I'm probably the only person who knows what you really look like," she mused aloud as they traveled toward the brook. "The way you cover your face like that is a shame… But in a way, it's cool. Your fan girls are going to be so jealous." She laughed then and he sensed, somehow, that she really didn't care what anybody thought of their pairing – fan girls included.

"What about Reno?" he asked suddenly, once they'd crossed the shallow water.

Yuffie pursed her lips in deep thought. Then she shrugged. "He'll just have to deal with it. I'm not going to hide anything from him, or anybody else. That is… Unless…"

Vincent looked up at her. "Unless?"

"Well, unless you don't want me to tell."

"Why wouldn't I want you to tell anybody?"

Yuffie shrugged. "I dunno… You tend to be kind of secretive."

"Secretive? I suppose you're right… In this case, feel free to tell whomever you desire. If it's alright with you, I will do the same."

Yuffie smiled brightly at him. "Who are you gonna tell?"

Vincent returned a warm gaze. "Right now I feel like telling the whole world… However, I will most likely limit distribution of this news to close friends."

Giggling, Yuffie took his hand. "Me, too."

As they neared their camp – made known by the sound of Reno's snoring – Vincent slowed. Yuffie stopped and looked up at him questioningly.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" he asked nervously.

"Do what?" Yuffie asked.

Vincent shrugged. "Reno might react badly."

Yuffie bit her lip in thought. "I'm kind of looking forward to that," she said quietly. "It'll serve him right for being such an ass."

Vincent cupped her face in his hand and kissed her softly then. "As you wish. Let's go."

They clasped hands and headed toward the snoring.


	7. Chapter 7

"What the $%&#?" Reno grumbled, half awake, when he first spotted Yuffie and Vincent holding hands at the fireside. He rolled clumsily out of his sleeping bag and took a few staggered steps toward them, squinting his eyes in disbelief.

Vincent had considered pulling his hand away, but Yuffie's grip on his had tightened, and he smiled inwardly at this.

His finger waving back and forth accusingly, his mouth hanging open stupidly, Reno was speechless for a long moment. Twenty-three seconds, to be precise, Vincent noted with precision. A new record.

"Dammit," the red-headed Turk spat out at last. "I knew there was something between you two."

"You did?" Vincent asked without thinking. Had there been a noticeable connection between he and Yuffie even before last night's events? The thought pleased him.

Reno seemed to buck up momentarily while he bragged on himself. "I have a sixth sense when it comes to romance. You guys had something going on even before Meteor, didn't you?"

Yuffie giggled. "So you're not mad, Reno?"

Kicking a stone, Reno shook his head, thrusting his hands into his pockets. "Naw. I guess not. Sorry about… you know, last night and all, Yuffie. I promise… it won't happen again."

"Glad to hear it!" the ninja exclaimed. "Now we can just move on and not worry about it."

Vincent nodded, studying Reno's face. Suddenly he felt guilty… and selfish. After all, wouldn't it be better if Yuffie could be with someone her own age? Somebody who could grow old with her… And, more important, somebody not inhabited by demonic presences? What kind of life would she have with him?

Reno wandered off into the woods and suddenly Yuffie's lips were at his ear. "I know that look, Vince."

He turned to her innocently.

"You were making your, 'I'm thinking about depressing stuff,' face"

Vincent blinked. "I wasn't aware I had such a face."

Yuffie grinned widely. "Yup. You do."

With a gentle sigh, Vincent shook his head. "Sorry."

"It's okay, Vince. Just… try to think positive, okay?"

Without being summoned, a smile appeared on his lips. "At this moment, I can hardly think any other way. You don't know how… how happy you've made me."

Yuffie's eyes turned doe-like and soft. "I'm happy, too. Very, extremely, totally, MEGA-SUPER happy!"

She kissed him lightly, then pulled away smiling.

Despite himself, Vincent chuckled. "It's going to be difficult to concentrate on my mission."

Suddenly serious, Yuffie asked, "should I leave?"

Vincent shook his head, smiling a little. "No. It will be much more enjoyable for me if you stay."

Reno returned then, zipping up his fly as he emerged from the brush, and killing the mood instantly.

"So, let's get this show on the road," he bellowed, bending down to roll up his sleeping bag.

Vincent and Yuffie followed suit and, between the three of them, their camp was packed up in a matter of minutes.

On the road once again, Vincent and Yuffie seemed to have made a mutual decision not to flaunt their budding relationship in Reno's presence. It was unprofessional and, understandably, unpleasant for the other party. Therefore, their conversation picked up with the second most interesting topic of the day –New-AVALANCHE.

"I wonder if they really understood what we were trying to do back then," Yuffie mused. "People may have called us terrorists back then, but that was ShinRa propaganda. We had a real cause. Not like these new guys."

"Propaganda, eh?" Reno's irritation was evident in his tone. "I suppose it was just propaganda when those reactors blew up, huh?"

Vincent and Yuffie exchanged glances. "Yuffie and I were not with AVALANCHE when those incidents took place. However, I do know that those responsible feel a deep remorse over their actions. I am certain, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a more peaceful manner in which to combat ShinRa's exploitation of mako."

Reno scoffed. "That idiot Barrett cost the company a lot of money, and he got a lot of innocent people killed. Sometimes I wonder if he really gave a damn about the planet – or if it was all for attention."

Yuffie turned on her heel then, reeling around to face the Turk. "Don't talk about Barrett like that," she warned. "He went through a lot… Besides, anything he did, ShinRa did ten times worse!"

Finally Vincent stepped in. "That is all in the past," he said calmly. "We all made mistakes… Committed crimes against the planet, as well as against those we love. We mustn't dwell on our short-comings."

Reno and Yuffie nodded in agreement and exchanged apologetic glances.

"Back to New-AVALANCHE," Reno muttered. "I think I know what you were saying. It's almost like they're just trying to get attention. Clearly, they don't watch the news, or they'd know their rebellion was a waste of time."

Vincent nodded. "Perhaps President ShinRa can convince them of that when they reach Edge."

"I hope you're right," Yuffie said. "Otherwise, a lot of innocent people are going to get killed for nothing."

"You know," Reno said quietly. "People said the same thing about you guys at first. That was before they realized the true nature of ShinRa… And honestly, I still hear civilians whisper that things would've been better if y'all hadn't come along in the first place."

Vincent and Yuffie glanced at each other. Reno's words had stung them both, rekindled old feelings of regret over the past. Perhaps they, too, had not fully been in the right in their vendetta against ShinRa.

Later that night, Yuffie found she could not sleep. She lay with her sleeping bag pulled tightly around her, staring up at the stars through breaks in the trees. Somehow, Vincent could tell she was awake.

"You're thinking about what Reno said… aren't you?" he asked quietly.

She rolled over onto her side to face him them and he stared back at her with dimly glowing eyes.

"Do you think… Maybe he was right? Were we fighting for the sake of fighting? Think of all the lives we disrupted… Sure, things are better for the planet, but that doesn't mean much to the people who've lost their homes and loved ones. How can we ever make up for that?"

Vincent sat up then and moved himself closer, stroking Yuffie's brow with the back of his hand. "I've been considering this all afternoon, and I think I've come to a conclusion… The same one I came to months into the aftermath of Meteor."

"Well?" Yuffie asked, snuggling against his leg. "What is it?"

"We're only human, Yuffie. We can't know everything. We can only strive to do right by ourselves and by others. It is easy to be critical when viewing events from hindsight. But the truth is, we all did the best we could do. I don't believe we acted inappropriately, given the circumstances with which we were faced. Sephiroth was the real villain."

"But nobody ever talks about _him _anymore. It's like they've forgotten everything…"

"They were not exposed as we were to his atrocities. Only ShinRa knew about his existence and they were more than happy to cover the evidence of his reemergence."

Yuffie clutched her head suddenly and groaned. "It feels like we're just talking in circles. ShinRa, AVALANCHE, ShinRa, New-AVALANCHE. You know, a few years ago when we set out on our mission, the world seemed so complex and mysterious to me… Now I just feel like everything we do is so small. Everything repeats itself over and over again. It makes me feel… used."

Vincent sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," she assured him. "I'll be fine in the morning. I just need to get some sleep."

Vincent nodded. "Very well." He began crawling back toward his own bed roll, but Yuffie called him back.

"Will you move your stuff closer?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course." Carefully, he pulled his bedding up against Yuffie's and slid into its warmth. Yuffie shifted until she was pressed against him, her face buried in his chest. She was asleep almost instantly and Vincent was left alone with his thoughts, absently stroking Yuffie's hair.

_Perhaps_, he thought, _Yuffie is right. Perhaps we are all trapped in an endless cycle._

He smiled to himself then. _Even if that is so, I don't mind._

Gently, he placed a soft kiss against Yuffie's forehead and, once again, was flooded with exuberance that banished all other thoughts.

Whatever might become of him, of the planet, of New-AVALANCHE… At the moment, it didn't matter. He had Yuffie.


	8. Chapter 8

They reached Kalm just as the sun was beginning to set over the old fashioned town. Vincent had made his home here temporarily, though he'd chosen to relocate to Edge after the Omega incident. It helped to know his friends were nearby, even if he chose not to partake of their company. That was around the time he'd decided to reapply to the Turks. It hadn't been a sudden decision; in fact, he had let the idea simmer for over a month before finally penning his resume.

Upon handing it in, he'd been given a thick test booklet to fill out. The tests had been simple enough for him – mostly multiple choice questions on what to do in various situations. It covered everything from weapon maintenance to taking a bullet for the president. He was certain his score must have been above average… which is why it came as such a shock to him when he'd received his resume back in the mail with a large red stamp across the front page which red, simply, 'DECLINED.'

There had, of course, been a pre-printed letter attached, thanking him for his interest and wishing him the best in all his future endeavors – the same letter they sent all non-qualified applicants. Not the kind of letter Vincent Valentine would expect to receive. He'd waited two weeks before calling Reeve about his denial. The rest was history.

Vincent stared up at the window of what had been his room at the inn for nearly a year. It had been a wasted year, he now realized. It had been a year he could have spent with friends, with Yuffie. Instead, he had occupied that time dwelling on the past and reveling in self-hate.

As Yuffie's hand slid gently into his, he was pulled out of the dark thoughts. He looked down and smiled at her then.

"You were doing it again," she said.

Vincent shrugged. "It may be something you'll have to excuse from time to time. I am trying, but it's… difficult to change."

Yuffie squeezed his hand comfortingly. "It doesn't bother _me_," she said more quietly. "I'm only worried about you. I don't want you to feel sad…"

For a moment, he couldn't find his voice. A smile forced its way into view. How had he gone so long without her?

"You needn't worry, Yuffie. I'm happier than I've been in a very long time."

Yuffie's face fell slightly. So slightly, nobody else would have noticed. Vincent shook the thought away, storing it for later.

A moment later, Reno approached. "Well, there's a boat leaving for the Northern Continent in an hour. I say we grab some drinks and kick back while we wait."

Yuffie jumped into the air excitedly. "Woohoo! Par-tay!"

Vincent chuckled in his throat and nodded. "Just remember we're on a job," he said as they headed toward the bar. Yuffie and Reno turned to him innocently. "I'm just saying, we should drink… conservatively."

Reno laughed and slapped Vincent on the back, a little too hard. "Relax, Gramps. We'll have a good time."

There was something in his tone Vincent didn't like, but Yuffie seemed oblivious as she threw open the double doors and headed into the bar. Inside, it was dimly lit. Most of the tables were occupied by locals and travelers, and a low hum of intermingling conversations filled the place.

"You guys grab a table," Reno said cheerfully. "I'll get the first round."

"First round?" Vincent asked. But Reno was already gone. Yuffie pointed to the nearest table.

"This one's empty."

Vincent sighed. "Very well."

The new couple sat close together at the circular table awaiting their drinks. Reno was back in a few moments, balancing three glasses.

For himself, he'd ordered something strong on the rocks. For Yuffie, something pink and fruity. Before Vincent, he placed an average sized glass of pale beer.

"How's that for conservative?" he muttered with a gleam in his eyes. Vincent tasted the beer without answering. It was bitter, and not his taste, but there was no point in being rude.

Yuffie took a couple long pulls off her straw, then clapped her hands together. "Wow!" she squealed. "That's a stiff drink."

Reno sipped at his, and shrugged. "Oh, is it? I told them to take it easy with the alcohol. Oh well." Again, his gaze met Vincent's, and suddenly his motives were clear. He glared back at the Turk and took a long swig of the sour beer to spite him.

"So, Yuffie. How do you like your drink?" Reno slid his chair a few inches closer to Yuffie, ignoring Vincent's hard stare.

"It's good. Maybe a little strong."

Reno flashed a million dollar smile. "Ah, don't worry. You deserve to let loose a little, don't you think?"

Yuffie giggled. "Yeah, I guess. It's been a while." Again her lips went around the straw and another inch of the pink liquid disappeared from her glass.

Suddenly the lights went down and a dance song came over the speakers.

"Oh, hell ya!" Reno shouted. "Hey, guys, let's hit the floor!"

Yuffie turned excitedly to Vincent. "What do you say?" she asked. He could smell the booze on her breath already.

"I don't dance," he replied stiffly.

"Too bad," Reno whined. "Mind if I fill in for a while?"

Vincent grit hit teeth together so tightly he thought they might crack under the stress. Then he looked at Yuffie.

She leaned toward him. "Only if it's okay with you," she whispered.

Like a charm, Vincent felt his shoulders relax. He trusted Yuffie, didn't he?

"Have fun," he replied, trying to sound up beat.

"Thanks," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Just one song. I haven't danced in for-ever!"

With that, Reno whisked Yuffie off to the dance floor, leaving Vincent to stew in his jealousy. Out of curiosity, he reached for Yuffie's drink and sniffed the fruity concoction. Fruit was the last thing he smelled. It was clearly loaded with alcohol, masked by sweet mixers – and even then, its potency was obvious.

"Damn you, Reno," he muttered under his breath as he set the glass down again. Everything made sense now. Reno hadn't made a big deal when he'd found out they were together. It had been a shock then, but now it was clearly just a ruse. Now he was buying stiff drinks for Yuffie, inviting her to dance, and Gaia knew what he might try next.

With a throaty growl that could not be heard over the pounding beats of the dance music, Vincent threw back his chair and left the table. Like a shadow, he slipped through the crowd surrounding the dance floor, rainbow colored lights spinning and strobing overhead in time with the music.

The floor was packed with young couples, but Vincent's sharpened senses located Yuffie immediately. Reno was already making himself at home, resting one hand on Yuffie's hip and holding her a little too closely.

_It's all part of the dance, _Vincent tried to assure himself. _Yuffie is having a good time. I can't spoil it for her._

The song ended and Yuffie immediately stepped away from Reno. Vincent let a breath of relief escape him, but the feeling was short lived. Even as Yuffie tried to leave the floor as she'd promised, another song began playing. Reno's hand went around Yuffie's wrist, pulling her back. She stumbled and fell against the Turk who was quick to take advantage of the accident.

Reno smiled handsomely down at Yuffie as his arms fell around her. He found the rhythm of the new song and coaxed her body to comply. Yuffie shook her head, trying to pull away, but Reno only held her closer. Over the music, even Vincent couldn't hear what was being said, but Yuffie's face expressed great upset. Reno said something back to her then, and she smiled. With a nod, she held up a finger, as if to say, "Okay, just one more dance."

Vincent could practically feel his heart breaking. Although he told himself it was a minor offense, he could not help feeling betrayed. Without thinking, he pushed his way back through the crowd. Scooping his beer off the table as he passed it, he stormed through the doors.

The cool night air was something of a relief. He glanced over his shoulder before sitting down on the cold stone steps and taking a long drink. He could hear passersby commenting about him. "Is that _the _Vincent Valentine?" they asked. "I wonder what's wrong." "Maybe we should go talk to him."

Vincent could feel the heat of his inner demons welling within him, and knew his eyes would betray the rage. There were too many people. If he caused a scene of any kind, word would surely spread back to Edge – and to the powers that be, to whom he must prove himself worthy of rejoining the Turks.

His eyes scanned the area, looking for a less conspicuous place to brood. In the end, the roof of the bar seemed the best option. He made his way up the side of the old building and crouched lithely on the blue tiled roof.

The breeze, stronger at this height, pulled at his hair and cape. Slowly he closed his eyes and practiced the breathing exercises he'd learned all those years ago when training to become a Turk. He could almost hear his instructor's voice guiding him now.

"You've got a lot of passion, Valentine, but when you're in the field, you have to stay cool. In a fight, only one thing matters. Concentrate on your objective. Everything else is a distraction."

Datsun had lost an eye and two fingers during his service to ShinRa. But he'd also been the most highly decorated and most honored member the Turks had ever employed. It had been a dream come true for Vincent to train under the old master. Even the memory of his voice helped guide him to his center now. He focused on the old memories, letting them soothe him.

As his master instructed, he pushed the distractions from his mind. Only they wouldn't go… Not entirely.


	9. Chapter 9

*****Thanks for the lovely reviews, everyone! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I guess it probably wasn't much of a shock that Reno couldn't keep his hands off Yuffie, huh? But how will Yuffie react? And how will this affect their ability to work together?*****

He'd only been perched on the rooftop a few minutes before Yuffie's screeching voice reached him. Quietly, he crept to the edge and looked down.

Yuffie had burst through the double doors of the bar and into the street in a frenzy. Her head turned left, then right – presumably searching for Vincent. Reno was right behind her.

"Yuffie, come back. I'm sorry!"

Yuffie stamped her foot, whirling on him. "No, you're not sorry! You're not sorry for ANYTHING! I've finally figured that out about you. Reno is all about Reno. He doesn't care how his actions affect anyone else!"

Starting toward her, Reno protested, "that's not true, Yuffie. Please listen to what I have to say."

Yuffie clasped her head with her hands, feigning a headache. "You've got two minutes. Then I'm calling Vincent. He's probably already gone, thanks to that display."

Reno's hands came down on her shoulders, and she threw them off violently.

"Okay," he said slowly, keeping his distance now.

Vincent narrowed his eyes from his rooftop view.

"The truth is… I think Vincent's all wrong for you."

Yuffie gaped. "Wha-what?"

"You heard me! I don't like it."

"That is NONE of your business, you stupid ass!"

"Think about it. How much older than you is he? Not to mention his… his weird immortal vampire thing. And, plus he's so… so dark. He's your complete opposite in every way!"

"You don't know him at all," Yuffie spat. "I do!"

Reno brushed his bangs back from his face. "Doesn't it worry you?"

"What?"

"Remember how obsessive he was about that scientist chick? What was her name… Lucrecia?"

"It's understandable. She was his first love, and she just abandoned him. What, you think I'm jealous?"

"You probably should be."

Vincent growled, but still did not interrupt the scene unfolding below him.

"That's ridiculous. She's dead. I know… he misses her. But he isn't letting that stand in his way. Why should I?"

Reno shrugged then. "I just think you should give other guys a chance before really getting involved with someone like him. I have all the respect in the world for him, professionally. But on a personal level… I mean, he's the kind of guy who would stalk you for the rest of your life if you broke up with him. Doesn't that bother you?"

"He would never do that! You're just making things up to make Vincent look bad. Well, it's not working. I'm going to call him now and, thanks to you, I'm going to have to come up with a really good apology for what he saw in the bar. So thanks a lot, Reno. You asshole!"

Yuffie tugged her phone out of a pocket and poised her finger above her contacts. At that moment a swirl of crimson descended over her. She was swaddled in it, consumed. Her feet left the ground one instant and found purchase again the next. When she opened her eyes, Vincent was stepping away from her slowly, eyeing her cautiously.

Taking a deep breath, she put the phone away and clasped her hands together nervously. She was on the roof now, she realized as she glanced over the edge. Down below, Reno threw his hands into the air and jogged back into the bar.

Slowly, Yuffie turned to Vincent. "So, I guess you heard all that…"

Vincent nodded.

"I'm really sorry, Vincent."

"You did nothing wrong. Please don't apologize."

"I should've seen through Reno's scheme. And when he asked me for a second dance, I should have turned him down."

Sighing, Vincent let his chin drop a little. "You were having fun."

"I was… Until…"

"I don't want to know what happened," Vincent interrupted. "And I'm not upset with you. Reno, on the other hand…"

"Sorry, Vince. I feel like I'm screwing up your whole mission."

"Again, I do not blame you for Reno's actions. Tomorrow morning I'm going to call Reeve and tell him things aren't working out between he and I."

Yuffie's eyes went wide. "No, you can't! He's a Turk. If you tell him you can't work with Reno, they may not hire you!"

Vincent sighed. "An excellent point. Then, what should I do?"

"Maybe I can talk to Reno…"

"You weren't making much progress down there." Vincent tilted his head, indicating the scene of the argument which had just taken place.

Yuffie shrugged. "I don't see any alternative," she said.

Vincent rubbed her shoulders affectionately. "Very well," he said. "It's worth a try."

Yuffie lifted up onto her tip toes and kissed him then. "I really am sorry about-"

Vincent shook his head. "Don't be. I was jealous. This all seems like a dream to me. It… wasn't difficult to accept the idea of you being more interested in Reno."

Yuffie's eyebrow went up.

"I know," Vincent sighed. "I'll get used to it eventually."

"You'd better!" Yuffie squeaked. "'Cause I'm gonna be around for a loooong time!"

Vincent pulled her close to him then. "I hope so."

Once they had boarded the ship that would take them to the Northern Continent, Reno disappeared. Yuffie swallowed a lump in her throat as she made her way toward the ship's mess. As expected, Reno was sitting with his back to the door, nursing yet another drink. She watched him a moment. He seemed strange – well, strange for Reno. His shoulders were slumped and he was sipping the drink absently while staring off into space. For the first time, she wondered if he was really serious about her.

Reno had many women at his beck and call. He was never lacking for company. So why had he seemed to adamant about keeping her from Vincent? Before, she had summed it up to a sick game – a conquest, perhaps. But seeing him now, she was certain she had truly hurt him. That would make this conversation much more difficult.

Gingerly, she approached the table and sat down across from him. At first he refused to even acknowledge her presence.

"We have to talk," Yuffie stated carefully.

"Do we?" he replied, swirling the ice in his glass nonchalantly.

"You can't do that again. Vincent and I are together now… And he means a lot to me."

"What's your point?"

"Don't play dumb, Reno. I don't know what this is about…" she moved her hand back and forth between them. "…But whatever it is, it has to stop right now."

"Sure. Whatever you say."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "I want your word that you won't do anything else to get between us."

Reno laughed then. "Playing the innocent, eh?"

Yuffie turned red. "Wh-what?"

"I saw the way you were looking at me when we were dancing. I felt the way you moved with me. If you want to pretend there's nothing between us, that's fine. But don't lie to yourself, Yuffie. You know as well as I do that we have a connection."

"Reno…" She leaned slowly across the table. Reno stiffened, then moved to meet her halfway. They were only inches apart when Yuffie said, "I will never love you."

Reno, still poised ready for the kiss he'd been expecting, blinked stupidly at her as she got up from the table.

"If you can't accept that, then I feel sorry for you." With that, she headed for the door. She stopped when Reno called after her.

"How important is he to you, really?" he asked, crossing his arms coyly across his chest.

Yuffie turned slowly.

"He wants to be a Turk again, more than anything. It just so happens, one word from me could make that happen… Or keep it from happening."

Yuffie shook her head. "You wouldn't do that."

"Maybe I would, and maybe I wouldn't. But are you prepared to take that chance?"

Yuffie ground her teeth together. What had she done?

"Reno, please don't do this."

"Let's make a deal. You break it off with Valentine, and I'll make sure he gets reinstated."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I'll go back and tell Reeve I don't think he's got what it takes to be a Turk. If you don't think he'll listen to me, guess again. Why do you think I was assigned to go with him?"

Yuffie's glare seared into Reno, but he wouldn't budge. "You are the most selfish person I've ever known."

"There's no shame in doing whatever it takes to win a battle. It's the way of the Turks. Vincent would understand."

"When he finds out-"

"But he won't. One of my stipulations is that you don't tell him about this little conversation. If you do – and I will know it – the deal is forfeit. The other stipulation is, when this mission is over, you agree to meet me for a drink at the Seventh Heaven."

Yuffie shuddered. He wanted to make a spectacle in front of her friends so Vincent would find out. He wanted to hurt Vincent.

"I'll meet you," she said slowly. "But not at Seventh Heaven."

"No deal. I'll give you the night to think it over. Right now, I suggest you get to work on figuring out how to break it off with Vincent. You have until tomorrow morning to decide."


	10. Chapter 10

Yuffie paced the deck of the ship as it headed into port. She hadn't slept a wink that night. When Vincent had met her in the cabin, she'd faked being sea sick and asked to be alone. Now, she could not push the look of suspicion in his eyes from her mind. It tortured her as the minutes ticked by.

She'd spend the night trying to come up with a way out of this mess. She'd almost convinced herself to go behind Reno's back and tell Vincent everything. But she couldn't risk his dream. She knew Vincent wanted to be with her… She knew he would probably give up being a Turk to save their relationship.

It just wasn't fair. She had finally worked up the courage to tell Vincent how she felt. A miracle had occurred – he'd returned those feelings. _The _Vincent Valentine was hers! And now… Only days after it had begun, it would end. It must end, or Vincent would lose his dream. Worst of all, he would have to live with the knowledge that she alone had stood in his way.

No, she knew what she must do.

As Vincent strode toward her then, she swore to herself that she would make Reno pay for this. She would make his life a living hell for taking this away from her. Perhaps, she thought in a moment of weakness, she would be able to approach Vincent some time in the future, after he'd achieved his goal of becoming a Turk. Maybe someday she could tell him the truth. She clung to that hope as Vincent stopped in front of her. He was smiling. Vincent Valentine, smiling! _He's happy_, she thought painfully. _He's happy because of me. And now I have to tear his heart out. Damn you, Reno._

"Good morning," he offered when she shrunk away from his embrace. "Is something the matter?"

Just then an overly cheerful man with a camera jogged up to them. "How about a commemorative photo?" he asked.

"Commemorating what?" Vincent asked.

The man laughed, readying his camera. "Come on, folks. I've been doing this a long time. I know a new couple when I see one!"

Yuffie couldn't bring herself to protest. Instead she allowed Vincent to put an arm around her and forced a smile for the photo. The man pulled the print from the front of the camera and smiled when he saw it. "Beautiful photo!" he shouted. "How about it, Sir? Only fifty gil!"

"You're going to charge me?" Vincent asked, clearly irritated.

"A small price to pay for such a lovely momento. Come on, you don't want this lovely young lady to think you're cheap, do you?"

Vincent sighed, paid the fifty gil and took the photo. "It _is _a nice photo," he remarked, handing it to Yuffie.

He was right. Her smile appeared genuine and Vincent looked handsome as usual.

"Here," she said, handing it back to him. "You keep it."

Vincent's eyes narrowed slightly. "But I bought it for you."

"Maybe… I can pay you back for the fifty gil…"

Vincent stashed the photo away and seemed to rise in height.

"What is going on, Yuffie?"

"It's, uh…" She sighed then and let her gaze fall. "I don't think I can do this."

"Do… _this_?"

"I think we should… break up." She croaked the last words through a tightened throat.

Vincent was still for a long moment. At last he whispered, "I see."

"I'm… sorry."

"Is it Reno?"

Gritting her teeth and cursing the red-headed Turk inwardly, she forced a nod. "Yes."

Vincent shrugged then. "I had a feeling."

_Bullshit! _Yuffie wanted to yell. _I hate you, Reno!_

"It's alright, Yuffie. You needn't feel guilty."

_If only you knew…_

"If that is your wish, I will not stand in your way."

_It's not my wish! Please don't let this happen!_

Silently, she prayed Vincent would see through her charade – that he would refuse to let her go. But, no. That just wasn't Vincent. He would step aside, like a gentleman. He would hurt to make her happy.

He stood awkwardly for a moment. "If that is all, then I will excuse myself."

_Dammit! Don't go!_

Yuffie nodded slowly, still unable to meet his gaze.

"I… Thank you, Yuffie. For giving me a chance."

That was it. Yuffie swore she could hear the sound of Vincent's heart breaking – or maybe it was her own. He turned in a flash of crimson and left her then. Once he'd gone below deck, Yuffie's knees buckled. She fell to the ground, unable even to cry.

"Is this what you wanted, Reno?" she whispered.

Vincent walked in a daze back to his cabin. Once inside, he locked the door behind him. Only then did he drop the visage of mature acceptance. Digging through his pack, he found a Tranquilizer and downed it quickly. He then sat down on his bunk and closed his eyes.

_So, that was it. One brief taste is all I am allowed. Why is it always thus?_

Reno was waiting for him on the dock when he finally disembarked. The Turk had an unusually smug look on his face. Humiliation swirled through Vincent and a tremor ran down his left arm, an urge to lash out with the claw and utterly destroy Reno.

"Where is Yuffie?" he asked, looking around.

Reno shrugged. "She went home. Caught a ship back to the mainland."

Vincent let out a trembling sigh. "I see."

"I'm sorry things didn't work out, Vince." Reno slapped him on the back. "Women are so unpredictable."

Vincent shot him a fierce look and the Turk flinched away.

"Well, anyway, it won't do any good to dwell on it. I'm sure you two can still be friends. I guess it's just a good thing it ended now, rather than later."

Vincent pushed past the Turk, shouldering his pack. "Let's get this over with," he muttered, heading for the forest.

*****Hey, peeps, sorry this was such a short chapter. I thought this was a good place to end. I feel guilty for making Reno such a jerk. He's actually one of my favorite characters! Perhaps he'll get a chance to redeem himself…*****


	11. Chapter 11

During their trek toward Bone Village, Vincent found himself focusing on the words of his mentor, Datsun.

_Concentrate on your objective. Everything else is a distraction._

He repeated them over and over in his mind until it came a litany… and then repeated it some more.

Reno would occasionally make a sloppy attempt at conversation, but his words rang hollow in the forest. Vincent heard nothing, saw nothing. There was only the mission. What came after that, he would not allow himself to ponder.

Even when Reno pleaded for a short rest after six hours of fast-paced walking, Vincent did not respond. At last Bone Village came into sight. Reno dragged himself the last few yards to the inn, then turned to Vincent. There was a lifelessness in his eyes that was more than a little disturbing.

"Coming in, Vincent?" he panted.

Vincent turned without answering and headed back into the forest, where he would spend the night.

The inn was small and quaint and Reno found himself sharing a room with five other men, mostly tourists come to the village in search of buried treasure. While the hobby-excavators snored, Reno's mind wandered. Had he made a mistake?

The tears in Yuffie's eyes when she had boarded the ship back to the mainland had struck something deep within him. Only hours before, he'd be so certain of his plan. He had _known _Yuffie had feelings for him and was sure, in time, she would realize it. Now, he wasn't so sure.

_What if she never forgives me?_ he thought as he tossed and turned in the bed. _What is she really is in love with Vincent?_

When he finally did sleep, Vincent tortured him in his dreams.

He awoke before the dawn in a cold sweat. Climbing out of bed, he shuffled into the wash room and splashed cold water on his face. Looking in the mirror, he did not like what he saw.

"You… asshole," he muttered, splashing his reflection with water before stomping his way out of the inn.

The sounds of night creatures filled the air and, as he squinted toward the forest, he pictured Vincent among them in one of his demon forms, howling and thrashing through the trees. The image made him shudder.

"Dammit," he grumbled, heading for the tree line. He had to find Vincent, and confess.

It was even darker in the forest and the sounds of nocturnal life haunted him as he made his way carefully through the black.

"Vincent!" There was no response. He walked a bit further and tried again. Nothing. For a moment he considered heading back to the inn for a few more hours of sleep.

_Yeah, right. As if I could sleep now._

And so he ventured further into the forest, calling for his wronged companion. At last Vincent appeared. Like a ghost, he approached without a sound.

"Vincent! You scared the crap out of me."

Vincent made a sound in his throat. "Hmph."

"Listen, man, I have to talk to you."

"Not now. While you were sleeping, I discovered something."

"Huh? What is it?"

"Come with me. Try to keep up." At that, Vincent burst deeper into the darkness. Reno sprinted after him, straining his ears to hear the sounds of foot fall in front of him.

When he could go no further, Reno called out. "Wait," he panted. "I can't run anymore."

Vincent reemerged from the shadows. "No need. We've arrived."

Reno looked at him questioningly as Vincent gestured with his arm. They had come to the edge of a steep bank, below which lights could be seen. Voices echoed dimly throughout the canyon.

"What is it?" Reno whispered hoarsely.

"I believe it is the New-AVALANCHE headquarters."

Reno gasped. "No way. All the way up here?"

"I've been listening all night. I believe their commander is here. If we can-"

"Wait, hold up a minute. Our orders were clear: go to the Forgotten Capitol, find the artifact, and bring it back."

"There is no artifact," Vincent said sharply. "Don't you see? Reeve sent us here knowing we would locate this base."

"You're crazy."

"Am I?"

"Yes! Look, just because Yuffie dumped you doesn't mean you need to jump into some suicide mission. Grow a pair, Valentine, and get over it!"

Without warning, Vincent's hand came around his throat, pinning him against a tree with a force that nearly knocked the wind out of him.

"You couldn't leave it alone, could you?" Vincent growled. "You saw something you wanted, and you had to take it."

"Vince… ugh… you're choking me…"

"Shut up! I could kill you… right now. Nobody would ever know. I could easily pin it on the rebels."

"V… Vin…"

Suddenly his grip loosened and Reno dropped to his knees in a fit of coughing.

"Vincent… I'm sorry. I-"

"Hold it right there!" A pair of lights flashed to life then, one landing upon Reno and the other shining on Vincent. "Who the hell are you?" The voice was deep and gruff. Several feet shuffled around them, surrounding them.

"Spies!" Another voice hissed. "We should kill them now."

"No. We'll take them back to camp. The commander will decide their fate."

Reno felt his wrists being bound and waited for Vincent to leap into action. And waited… and waited…

"Vincent, what are you doing?"

Vincent stood cooperatively as the New-AVALANCHE sentries tied his wrists. Reno watched in horror as the ex-Turk was led away from the scene. Soon, he was dragged to his feet and shoved into Vincent's wake. Without speaking the sentries took them down a steep path which brought them to the center of their camp. Weathered tents spotted the landscape, most of them glowing from the lanterns inside.

As the prisoners were marched through, people came out to watch and whisper. Reno spotted the face of the young boy they'd captured in the forest days earlier. No doubt he had alerted his commander of their coming. _I knew we shouldn't have let that little worm go_, he thought angrily.

At last they stopped in front of the largest tent.

"Wait here," a large man – the one with the deep voice – ordered, pushing his way into the tent.

"Commander True? We captured two spies in the forest."

Soon he reemerged with a young woman whose long dark hair and scanty outfit was clearly no coincidence. She was a vision of Tifa Lockheart from four years ago.

True spoke with youthful enthusiasm as she looked them over. "I know you," she said, addressing Vincent. "Come to pay your respects?"

Vincent kept silent.

"Ah, yes. I'd always heard you were the silent type, Mr. Valentine." She smiled, then turned to Reno. "How about you? Do you have anything you'd like to tell me?"

Reno grinned foolishly. "Yeah. I love a woman in costume."

Like a whip, True's exceptionally long leg swung out, striking Reno in the mouth. "Watch your step, ShinRa. I'm only going to give you one chance to cooperate. If you thought AVALANCHE was tough, you've got a rude awakening ahead of you. My forces are ten times what theirs were, and they've all had military training.

Reno chuckled even as the blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. "What military is that? The Podunk Army?"

A fist this time, square in the nose. Vincent watched the violence unfold before him with an unnatural calm.

To her sentry, she asked, "have you searched them?"

"Uh, no, Ma'am."

"You idiot! Do you have any idea who this _is_?" She swung an arm toward Vincent.

"Of course, Ma'am. It's Vincent Valentine, formerly of AVALANCHE. Currently under the employment of ShinRa, Inc."

"Correct, Brutus. Now collect his weapons before he decides to turn you into stew meat."

"Yes, Commander."

Brutus and the other sentries set about removing several concealed firearms and several material orbs from Vincent's person. From Reno, they took his shock rod and a small knife concealed at his ankle. When Brutus tugged on Vincent's claw, he succeeded only in slicing his own finger on one of the sharp points.

"You idiot," True grumbled. "The gauntlet cannot be removed."

Silently, Vincent wondered how this woman knew so much about him. The matter of his gauntlet, or 'claw' as it was often called, was still a topic of much discussion among his fans. It had been amusing at one time to read the articles speculating on this conundrum. Some fans – particularly women – preferred to think it could be removed. Most of his male fans argued it was part of his altered physiology. The latter was correct.

True approached Vincent cautiously. "One last chance, Mr. Valentine – and only because I respect you. Why were you spying on my camp?"

Vincent bared his teeth at her, causing her to flinch away. It was strangely out of character, he knew, but it felt appropriate.

"Lock them up!" True shouted, brushing back her hair casually.

Brutus gave Vincent a hard shove in the back but, as he did so, something fluttered to his feet.

"What is that?" True demanded, pointing a sharp finger at the object. Brutus lifted it and handed it to her.

"Nice photo," she mused. "This gives me an idea…"

Vincent was suddenly flooded with the senses he'd been repressing since Yuffie's departure. If True were to go after Yuffie… No, these rebels would not be able to catch up with her ship. He tried to reassure himself she was in no danger, even as he was led away from the commander's tent. Making a scene would only worsen the situation and put Yuffie in danger.

At the north eastern edge of the camp, an old mineshaft had been converted into a bunker for housing food stores and weapons. Further inside, they came to what appeared to be an ancient cellar. It was lined with iron bars and reinforced in most places by thick wooden boards. Here and there, holes had been punched or kicked through the wood, but still the bars blocked the way of escape.

Vincent stepped into the cell without any hesitation, but Reno struggled with the sentry called Brutus. Twice the Turk's size, Brutus served a swift kick against Reno's backside, and the troublemaker spilled into the cell on his face. With a loud CLANG, the cell door was slammed shut, then locked securely. Brutus gave the order for a guard to be posted, then left them.


	12. Chapter 12

Vincent stood like a statue in the darkest corner of the shared cell while Reno picked himself up off the floor. His face had been marred and Vincent couldn't help but notice the wound looked out of place on Reno's otherwise perfectly smooth face.

"Dammit," the Turk spat, kicking the old cell door. It shuddered slightly but, otherwise, did not budge. He whirled on Vincent then. "Why did you let them lock us up like this?"

Vincent merely crossed his arms in response, infuriating Reno. Without thinking he lunged toward Vincent and grabbed him by the collar. "Are you deaf? Why didn't you fight them?"

"Why didn't _you_?" Vincent retorted impassively.

"I… Because I'm not as strong or as fast as you."

"So you do respect me after all," Vincent mused. He appeared to be taking their situation a little too lightly and Reno didn't like it.

"You know I do! What's that got to do with anything?"

Vincent glared icily at him.

"Alright, fine. You win. You're the best fighter I've ever seen. Why, I bet you could take this whole camp without breaking a sweat."

"Actions speak more loudly than words, Reno. I meant what I said back in the forest. Do not force me to act on those words."

Reno swallowed hard. "I told you I was sorry about Yuffie," he muttered. "Look… There wasn't time to tell you before, but you have to know."

Vincent straightened. "Tell me what?"

"Hey!" The guard outside pounded a few times on the wall. "No talking!"

Reno let out a hoarse growl and threw his hands into the air. He opened his mouth to whisper his admission to Vincent, then clamped it shut again. Glancing around himself, a realization dawned on him. He was in a locked cell with a man who already wanted to strangle the life out of him. What might Vincent do when he heard the truth?

_No, _he decided. _I'll tell him when we get out of this mess… _If _we get out at all._

Several hours later, footsteps could be heard approaching their cell. The guard jumped to his feet to salute.

"Commander."

"Open the cell." True stood with her arms folded across her chest as the guard obeyed. Without speaking she wagged her finger between Reno and Vincent.

"Eenie… Meenie… Minie… Moe." She landed on Vincent – as was clearly her intention – and smiled wickedly. "Bring him to the interrogation room immediately," she ordered the guard.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Vincent followed willingly without looking back at Reno as the cell door slammed behind him. He was lead down a torch-lined rock corridor which turned this way and that like a maze. Within moments, his escort stopped and ushered him into a small cavernous room. One side was lined with various instruments of pain and on the other hung wall-mounted shackles.

"Lock him up," True said through a radiant smile. "We don't want any accidents."

The guard did as he was instructed, shackling Vincent's wrists and ankles. Afterward, he was ordered to wait outside the door.

Now alone with him, True looked Vincent up and down. "I hate to see you like this, Vincent. May I call you Vincent?"

Vincent said nothing.

"No objection then? Good." She approached him slowly, eyeing him like a piece of meat. "I'm hoping you won't make this difficult on yourself. Someday I'd like to face you in a fair fight, one on one. So try and stay alive, will you?"

"You are, of course, aware that I could break through these chains at any given moment?" Vincent spoke slowly, his tone reasoning.

True froze for half a second, the smile vanishing, then returning as quickly as it left.

"I've heard such things about you, but I have yet to see any proof. If you were so incredibly strong, why not break out of your cell and flee?"

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "I never leave jobs unfinished."

"Which brings me to my first question. Exactly why did ShinRa send you to investigate my camp?"

"They didn't," he replied. "Not directly. I found your camp by accident."

True threw her head back in laughter. "So you like games, Vincent. I'm fond of them, too. So let's play."

To his shock, the woman lunged at him and kissed him passionately. When she pulled away, she ran her tongue over her lips as if to savor the taste of him.

"Mmmmm," she moaned with delight. "I always favored you, Vincent."

Vincent stared at her a moment, then said, "what is it you really want?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want the truth. And I want you."

"I can only give you one of those things."

"You will give me whatever I want, Vincent. In time."

"May I ask you a personal question?" Vincent asked politely.

True bat her eyes. "Of course, darling."

"You named your rebellion after us, yet you do not operate with the same level of dignity as we did."

"You're wrong. I'm doing everything by the book."

"AVALANCHE never took prisoners. In fact, we probably let more dangerous people go than was wise. You, on the other hand, are not above taking hostages…" He indicated the wall of tools with a swing of his head. "…Nor of torturing them."

True's confident smile melted into a glare. "AVALANCHE was weak. You couldn't finish the job. Thanks to that, we have had to pick up where you left off. We won't stop until Rufus ShinRa is dead and his body burned."

"Rufus ShinRa is not your enemy."

"How can you say that!" she shrieked. "You fought him yourselves!"

"He was misguided," Vincent said. "President ShinRa has learned the error of his ways and has elected to work toward a better future for us all."

True turned her back on Vincent then. "That is the same lie ShinRa, Inc., has been feeding us for decades! We'll never be free of their tyranny if we continue to believe it!"

"You're wrong, True. I don't expect you to believe me… But if you want to be like AVALANCHE, you have to know the facts. My instinct tells me you've been looking for a fight, a cause, anything to give your life meaning. ShinRa was the obvious choice."

Fuming, she screamed, "Screw you! You don't know anything about me!"

"Then prove me wrong. Do your research, then decide for yourself if ShinRa is worth pursuing. You owe it to your men… and to yourself."

Now trembling with rage, True spun on her heel and ripped open the door. To the guard there, she uttered, "take him back to his cell. Inform me when…" Her voice trailed off into a whisper even Vincent could not interpret.

"Yes, Commander."

Before storming off down the corridor, True took one last look at Vincent. "You're a traitor and a disgrace."

Meanwhile, back in the cell, Reno was beginning to worry. Vincent hadn't been gone long, but that scary broad had an evil look in her eye when she'd taken him away. "What a babe," he murmured, thinking of Commander True. Long legs, big eyes, huge rack… She was like Tifa, only hotter.

"Wait a minute," he said, shaking his head vigorously. "What am I thinking? That bitch is gonna pay for what she did to my face."

Just then Vincent was returned to the cell. He seemed only mildly ruffled, but there was an oddness to his movements all of a sudden.

"What happened?"

Vincent shook his head. "Nothing."

"B-S! Tell me!"

"Hey! Quiet down in there!"

_Damn that guard!_

"Fine," he whispered hoarsely. "Don't let me in on _anything_. How can I help if I don't know what's going on?"

Vincent ignored the question and leaned back against the wall contemplatively. At last, he looked at Reno and spoke very quietly.

"I believe Commander True is very unstable emotionally."

"What, are you a shrink now?"

"She has an obsession with AVALANCHE. It's not just ShinRa – it's all of us. Until now, she has enjoyed the charade without a second thought."

"Until _now_? What did you do?"

"I believe I may have touched on a very sensitive subject."

Reno cringed. "That's not code-talk for something dirty, is it?"

Vincent shot him an irritated look.

"Sorry I asked. Okay, seriously… So this chick's insane, huh?"

"I would not go so far as that. Suffice it to say, we must proceed with caution if we're to help her see her way clear of this fantasy."

"Whoa, hold on a minute. Why should we help her? Just bust us out of here so I can go home!"

"You're a Turk," Vincent scolded him. "Your first priority is ShinRa security. If we can earn her trust, perhaps we can persuade True to drop the crusade."

"Have fun with that. I don't want anything to do with that nut job."

"I do not believe I am the best candidate."

"Why is that?"

Vincent hesitated. "She appears to be… infatuated with me."

Reno stifled a laugh. "No way."

"Besides," he added. "I've upset her. She'll be coming for you next."

"Gee, thanks. 'Cause I was just dying to spend more time with that crazy Tifa-wannabe."

The guard outside pounded heavily on the wall then. "This is your final warning. If you continue this banter, I will be forced to inform Commander True."

Reno turned to Vincent, who nodded. "Best not to antagonize them further."

"Fine. But I got nothing better to do." With that, Reno sprawled out on the hard floor of their cell and attempted to sleep. Vincent stood guard like a stone gargoyle over him, his eyes fixed on the cell door.


	13. Chapter 13

As Vincent predicted, Commander True returned the following day. This time, it was Reno she summoned to the interrogation chamber. Vincent quickly reminded Reno of their goal before the Turk was whisked away.

Then he was alone. Since True had discovered the photograph of himself and Yuffie, he hadn't quite managed to regain control over his emotions. Yuffie was constantly on his mind, and he often found himself trying to make sense of their brief romance. She had, after all, pursued _him_. She had, on more than one occasion, assured him he had no cause to doubt her feelings. Then, without warning, she had turned to Reno. It didn't make sense. There were only two options: Either she had preferred Reno over him from the get-go, or… Reno had found a way to change her mind.

Perhaps, he thought, it was pointless to dwell. Whatever her reason for breaking things off, he must to respect her wishes. He only wished she had gone straight to Reno, rather than lead him on. Although the relationship had only lasted a few days, he had been battling strong feelings for Yuffie for over two years. Was this to be Lucrecia all over again? _No_, he told himself. _I won't allow that to happen again._

Nearly an hour later, Reno was escorted back to the cell. He had a red hand-shaped mark on the side of his face, and lipstick smeared around his mouth. As if in a drunken stupor, he shuffled to the center of the cell and sat down. Vincent eyed him curiously as he sat on the earthen floor with his eyes shut.

"Man… Vince… You weren't kidding. That woman is insane."

Vincent scowled. "Did you make any progress with her?" he asked impatiently.

Reno smiled, opening his eyes widely. "I tried, but she did _this!_" He pointed to the handprint on his cheek, then shook his head. "So, we… moved on to other subjects."

Vincent sighed. "You are a pitiful man, Reno."

Suddenly serious, Reno jumped to his feet. "Excuse me?"

"You went through all the trouble of taking Yuffie away from me… And now you're sleeping with the enemy."

Reno blushed. "I didn't sleep with her! But… You're right. Dammit, I have to tell you. I don't care if we get in trouble for talking."

Vincent held up a hand to silence him. "I am not interested in anything you might have to say."

"It's about Yuffie… I may have… twisted her arm a little."

"What?" Vincent suddenly seemed to tower over Reno.

"She didn't leave you because she wanted to. I… Well, I blackmailed her."

Reno half expected to see smoke come billowing from Vincent's nostrils. The red irises flared.

"I told her I'd help you get into the Turks if she dumped you, alright? It's not a big deal."

Vincent considered this for a moment. "She told me she had every confidence I would earn that position on my own. What did you say to make her think I needed your help?"

Reno tugged at the collar of his shirt which felt suddenly tight. "Okay, so… maybe I told her I'd give you a bad review if she didn't leave… She was really upset."

Vincent's hands balled into fists then.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm scum, dirt, amoeba! When we get outta here, I swear I'll fix this. Just don't kill me!"

Sighing, Vincent took a few steps toward the wall and leaned with his arm against its rough surface. Despite the anger he felt toward Reno, he could not keep himself from smiling. To know Yuffie hadn't left him of her own desire – to know she cared enough to sacrifice her own happiness for his – filled him with warmth. The fingers of his claw tapped against the rock wall a few times before he spun on Reno.

"When we've completed our mission, you will go to Yuffie and you will do whatever it takes to redeem yourself in her eyes."

Reno nodded eagerly. "I will, I promise."

Vincent nodded, evidently satisfied with this. Reno let out a sigh of relief. Seeming to relax, Vincent sat down on the floor of the cell and leaned his head back against the wall.

"Vince, can I ask you something?"

"If you must."

"Do you love Yuffie?"

Caught off guard, Vincent suddenly sat upright. "Why do you want to know?"

"It's just, I… I was always a party guy. I could get almost any girl I wanted. But Yuffie was different. She had no interest in me. Maybe that was part of the appeal."

"Hmph."

"I guess I thought I loved her… Enough to stab you in the back."

"You haven't got the slightest clue what it means to love someone else. If you really cared about Yuffie, you would not have hurt her."

"That's why you just let her go, huh? You didn't even try to make her stay."

"I wanted to… But I respect her. If she chose to reject me, so be it. I could never ask her to stay with me, knowing she would've been unhappy."

"Vincent?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm… really sorry."

"I know."

A loud commotion disturbed their quiet conversation then. As the sound drew nearer, Vincent jumped lightly to his feet and leapt to the door. "No…"

Reno was up then. "What is it?"

"They have her," Vincent said, barely above a whisper.

Reno found one of the holes in the wall and strained to see around the corner. A pair of bare legs came into view then.

True's voice made him flinch. "If you won't respond to threats or seduction," she said to Vincent, "then perhaps this will be the chink in your armor."

Brutus and another guard stepped forward then, dragging a struggling Yuffie with them. "Vincent!"

"Yuffie, no!"

True laughed, reaching through the bars as if to touch Vincent's face. He jerked away before she could make contact. "Now, now," she said. "There will be time for a tearful reunion later. Brutus, put this little brat somewhere safe."

At that moment, Yuffie let out a high-pitched shriek and stamped down hard on Brutus' foot. The oversized sentry yowled in pain, loosening his grip on her for half a second. It was long enough. Yuffie jerked her arm from his grasp and swung it around, delivering a knife-hand to the other guard's temple. He stumbled to the floor in a daze, and Yuffie was free.

She sprinted toward the cell then, her eyes glossy with tears. "Vincent!" Their fingers met through the iron bars, grasping each other tightly.

"Yuffie…"

"Vince, I'm so sorry."

"Please don't. I – Look out!"

True and Brutus regained control of the slight ninja and ripped her from Vincent's grasp. She screamed and struggled against their hold, but it was no use. Agile and fast as she was, she was no match for Brutus' strength.

As they pulled her further from the cell, Vincent began clawing the wooden wall around the cell. It began falling in splinters around Reno who could only stand helplessly and watch. Once he'd torn through the heavy planks, he began work on the iron bars. Sparks flew as he slashed maniacally, but the claw was no match for the thick iron.

True returned a moment later and stopped to admire the destruction. "I'm very impressed with your passion, Vincent. It's just too bad you won't see reason. I'd love to recruit you."

"I will never join you!"

Reno looked up, startled. He could hear the demon in that voice, see the rippling beneath Vincent's skin. The beast was about to come out… and when it did, even he would not be spared.

Suddenly Vincent jerked his arm back as if something had bitten him. True had an empty syringe in her hand.

"I'm not big on monsters," she said. "That should calm you down."

Reno ran over to Vincent who seemed to be wobbling now. "What did you give him?"

"Just a tranquilizer… Well, actually this holds _four_ regular doses, but who's counting?"

"Shit… Vince, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Vincent grabbed at empty air, trying to stabilize himself, then dropped to his knees. Reno fell will him as he crumpled over.

He could hear True's laughter fade as she made her way down the corridor. Brutus returned from wherever he'd taken Yuffie, and took a seat on a wooden crate just outside the cell. There he sat, his gaze locked on Vincent and Reno. He neither blinked nor looked away a single time until Vincent regained consciousness.

When, at last, Vincent stirred, Brutus pulled out a hand-held radio and spoke into the device. "He's up, Commander."

True's voice came back through. "I'm on my way."

Moments later, the rebel commander arrived as promised. She gazed intently past the cell bars.

"So, are you going to behave? Or do I have to keep you doped up?"

Vincent glared back at her. "I was wrong about you."

True smiled. "Oh yes? Do tell."

"You can't be saved. You've sunk too low to ever come back."

The smile vanished. "Once again, Mr. Valentine, you've managed to dampen my spirits a little. But I didn't come here to talk about myself. I want to know about ShinRa. You'll tell me everything I want to know, or your precious Yuffie will suffer the consequences."


	14. Chapter 14

Vincent regarded True with a defeated gaze. "I want to tell you a story," he said slowly. "This is not an easy subject for me to broach, but I'm willing to share it with you – if you'll let me."

True considered for a moment, then nodded. "Brutus, make yourself scarce. Go check on Miss Kisaragi and make certain she is… situated."

"But, Commander!"

"Dammit, do as I say!"

The lumbering giant shuffled away with his head down then and True shook her head as if troubled by his disobedience. Then she turned back to Vincent. "I'm listening."

"Four years ago, I was a dead man… I had no will to live. Everyone and everything I had once cared about was gone. I blamed myself and, as penance, locked myself away from the world. Then Cloud came, and gave me a purpose. As I traveled with him and the others, I began to feel a change. Emotions I'd thought long buried were resurfacing. Eventually I came to think of my companions as friends and, later, family. They became my reason to fight. They gave me my life back…"

Vincent felt Reno's hand on his shoulder.

"Eventually I faced the man who had stolen everything from me. I defeated him. Yet, I derived no satisfaction from taking his life."

"Hojo…" True breathed the name as if afraid the sound of it might summon the ghost of the mad scientist.

Vincent nodded, continuing. "I was confused. If revenge did not fulfill me, what could? I found there were many times the answers were not as black and white as I had thought. Enemies could become allies in the blink of an eye, and friends could betray. Nothing was set in stone. In the end, I learned, the only thing that brought me peace was knowing I had fought to the end… That I had not abandoned the people who relied on me. They are all that matters to me."

Suddenly Vincent's eyes snapped shut and he hunched forward as if in pain. True started. "What's the matter with him?" she shouted.

Reno jumped up, unsure of what to do. "Vince? Hey, Vince? Say something!"

Vincent's form folded in on itself then, becoming a violent storm of swirling red. The strange entity darted around the cell, then flew right through the iron bars toward True. The rebel commander attempted to protect herself, covering her face with her hands as the crimson swarm came around her. In a flash, the entity rematerialized, this time in the form of Gallian Beast. The purplish demon had True by the throat as the woman struggled to free herself.

The Beast turned its head sharply toward Reno, then lifted a taloned hand in his direction. Reno yelped and dove for the floor as an explosion of gold and red disintegrated the iron bars of the cell. When he opened his eyes again, Gallian Beast was looking upon him with pleading eyes, its other hand still pinning the rebel commander's throat.

"Vincent, don't do it…"

Vincent – it – turned back to the woman underneath him, struggling uselessly to free herself.

Already Vincent felt himself returning and the Beast subsiding. That no longer mattered. Outside the cell, he did not require to help of his demons to deal with this woman. He fought to maintain his rage, to hold this form, while True flailed wildly.

As she struggled, the dark mass of hair seemed to be lifting away from her scalp. A wig! Underneath, she wore her hair shortly cropped and it was bright orange in color. Even in such a predicament, she seemed embarrassed by the revelation.

"You bastard!" she choked out. "You'll pay for that!"

"Vincent!"

_Yuffie!_

The echo of her voice reached him then, though he was sure the others couldn't have heard.

Immediately Vincent felt his demonic power draining from him. His own consciousness seemed to be pulled from somewhere beyond, back into the world. He blinked and the Beast was gone. His own hand encircled True's throat and the woman stared up at him through bulging, bloodshot eyes.

Slowly, he released his grasp and True rolled onto her side, hacking and gasping for air. Rising to his feet, he turned to Reno. "Watch her," he said with uneven breath. Then he was gone, sprinting further into the mine.

Reno knelt down beside True and helped her sit up. She regarded him carefully. "I… had no idea he was so powerful."

Reno nodded. "Most people underestimate him in a fight… right before they die. You're lucky."

"Yes," she said drearily. "I suppose I am." She rubbed her throat gently as if hoping to sooth away the pain Vincent had inflicted there.

Sighing, Reno said, "are you alright?"

She nodded, then turned to him. "Is it true what you say? Is ShinRa truly trying to make amends?"

"It's true. Do you really think AVALANCHE would be working with us if it weren't?"

For a moment, she considered this. "No. I suppose not, but…" Her eyes got a far away look.

"But what?"

"It's going to be difficult to persuade my men to stand down."

Reno nodded. "We can protect you, if you really mean that," he said.

"I… I do. Thank you, Reno."

Reno bit his lip then. "By the way… This may not be the best time, but I like your hair this way better."

True blushed a little. "Really?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah…"

Vincent stopped in front of the door beyond which Yuffie's shouts could be heard. He took a deep breath before ripping it from its hinges and tossing it aside.

Yuffie sat on the floor with her arms tied to a beam behind her. Brutus had been crouched in front of her and now whirled to face Vincent.

"How did you-?"

He was silenced as a flash of gold hit him across the face. Two yellowed teeth were spewed across the room in a stream of blood.

"Vincent!" Yuffie smiled up at him, tears still wet on her cheeks.

He nodded briefly at her, knowing any further attention given to Yuffie would only distract him from his fight. Brutus was a large man. Even stunned as he had been, he now towered over Vincent, licking the blood from the corner of his mouth. One fist ground into the palm of his other hand threateningly.

_Dammit_, Vincent thought, sizing up his opponent. _I may need Yuffie's help to take him down._

Brutus charged then. The one limitation to his bulk was the loss of speed that inevitably came with such weight. Vincent dodged the attack easily – but he could not win this fight by hiding. He struck out with the claw then, tearing a row of red gashes across Brutus' upper arm. Brutus seemed unfazed.

Again Brutus attacked. This time Vincent took the hit directly to the chest, but managed to remain standing. In the back of his mind, he heard Yuffie cry out, but he resisted the urge to look her way. Now he could hear footsteps approaching quickly.

Reno and True appeared where the door had been.

"Brutus, stand down!"

Brutus turned a sour face toward his commander. "I won't show mercy to these ShinRa scum," he replied. "If you're thinking of changing sides, I'll be more than happy to crack your skull next."

"That was an order, soldier!"

"I don't take orders from the weak!"

True stood dumbfounded for a moment as the fight continued before her. She turned to Reno then.

"Follow me!" With that, she darted away with Reno at her heels.

Vincent ducked beneath a heavy jab and Brutus stumbled from the force of his own swing. With a spinning motion, Vincent moved out of the way and came down hard on his opponent's spine. There was a crack, followed by a grunt.

Brutus stumbled back a few paces then, reaching around to his back.

"Do you surrender?" Vincent said calmly.

Brutus laughed then and made a show of dusting himself off. "You'll have to kill me if you wanna make it out of this room alive, ShinRa."

"Vincent!" Reno was back, and true was with him. The Turk tossed Cerberus to him and snapped open his kaleidoscoping shock rod. Vincent nodded his thanks, but his weapon was practically useless in such tight corners. Instead of firing it, he summoned forth a fire spell and Brutus cried out in agony as the flames lapped at his skin and clothing. Vincent skirted across the room then and cut Yuffie's hands free with one swipe of the claw.

True tossed her the Conformed and she leapt into action alongside Vincent.

After several roundhouse kicks and spleen-splitting punches, Brutus fell at last.

"Alright," he panted, holding his hands up in front of him. "You win."

Vincent lowered Cerberus on the giant then.

"Vincent, don't." It was Yuffie's voice. She ran to him and took hold of his gun arm.

Vincent shook his head. "I'm not going to kill him."

"Then I'll do it!"

The shot rang out before anyone knew it was coming…

Anyone but Vincent, that is. He reached True just in time to nudge her arm aside far enough that she missed her target. She glared at him.

"Let me do it!" she screamed. "He deserves to die."

"He surrendered," Vincent said in a low tone. "Do you really want to be a murderer?"

True growled, but handed her pistol over to Vincent who quickly stashed it away under his cape.

It was then that Yuffie approached him, her face a mess of mixed emotions.

"Reno told me," he said softly to her.

"Oh, Vince." She fell into him then, burying her face against his chest. "I'm so sorry."

Vincent rubbed her back soothingly, but kept his eyes on Reno who was watching the scene with humiliation in his eyes.

Stepping back slightly, Vincent put a finger under Yuffie's chin and lifted her face. "You've got nothing to apologize for. We have much to discuss, but this isn't the time. We have to get out of-"

Yuffie's lips pressed against his then, catching him off guard. For a moment, he closed his eyes and reveled in the sweetness of her kiss. It was like a bittersweet reminder of what he'd nearly lost. Yet she was here, with him now.

Without breaking the kiss, he scooped Yuffie up into his arms and headed for the mine's exit. True and Reno were behind him, leading the defeated Brutus.


	15. Chapter 15

*****Okay, everyone. This is it! The last chapter. It took a while for me to figure out how I really wanted this to end, and I'm pretty happy with this one. It's not as epic as some others I've read, but it was fun to write. If you haven't already, you should read "Dignity" by The_Windflower_Fairy. Hopefully that link works! Take care, everyone, and thanks for reading!*****

Once they'd reached the opening of the mineshaft, True assembled the entire camp for an announcement. By the time they had gathered, the commander was looking a little ill.

"This may be difficult for some of you to accept," she began cautiously. "But I've recently come to a realization. We're fighting an enemy that no longer exists."

Gasps of shock and disbelief could be heard from the crowd.

"I'm… leaving," she said, holding back a sob. "It's over."

Voices cried out in protest. "What are we supposed to do now? You can't just shut us down!"

True sighed and turned to Vincent then. "I may need an escort out of here."

They were picked up in the Shera that evening. Fighting her usual motion sickness, Yuffie found herself out on the deck, leaning over the railing. She shivered against the cold wind, even with Vincent's cloak wrapped about her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. She 'urked' in response.

Reno stepped out onto the deck then, looking unusually guilty. Yuffie made a sound of disgust as he approached.

"Yuffie, I just wanted to say-"

"Save it!" she shouted, her face practically green with nausea. "I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

Reno looked to Vincent who could only shrug his shoulders.

"I'll make it up to you, Yuffie. I promise." With that, he jogged back toward the door and disappeared.

"I hate him… so much!" Yuffie shouted.

"I can understand why he did it," Vincent said. "He truly means well."

"How can you defend him like that?" Yuffie demanded. "He freaking blackmailed me, broke us up, and almost cost you your career!"

"The human heart is a mysterious thing, Yuffie. There's no telling what a man will do to win the woman of his admiration."

"That's just sad. You wouldn't do anything so low-handed, would you?"

Vincent smirked. "For you, I might."

Yuffie sank to the ground then and Vincent crouched beside her to block some of the wind. She looked up at him then, her color returning some. "I've never been so depressed in my life," she said. "All I could think about was getting back at that jerk, and finding some way to tell you the truth without risking your future."

Vincent brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes. "I would gladly give up my career as a Turk if it meant being with you."

Yuffie was taken aback. "Serious?"

He nodded.

"Vince… I want to tell you something. You probably already know…"

Vincent felt his stomach churn then. Was it to be more bad news? "Yes, Yuffie?"

Her cheeks practically glowed pink. "I… I love you, Vincent… Do you love me?"

Letting go a quivering sigh, Vincent pulled her into his lap and held her closely to him. "I've loved you as long as I've known you," he said. "It took me too long to realize it… I deeply regret the time I wasted dwelling on the past when I could have been enjoying the present with you."

"Shhh," Yuffie quieted him. "No regrets. Right? We're together now. That's all that matters."

"You're right," he said. "And I'm never letting you go."

Two days later, Vincent and Yuffie sat atop the New ShinRa building after a lengthy debriefing. Looking out over the city of Edge, Vincent let his mind wander over the events of the past week. What had they really learned?

"Vincent?" Yuffie turned to him. "Do you think it'll ever end?"

Vincent regarded her curiously.

"Rebellion… fighting… war. Will it ever stop?"

Vincent thought for a moment, then said, "I believe it's human nature to find discontentment in our lives. We tend to place the blame where it is most convenient. Giving it a name and a face makes it easier to combat."

Yuffie sighed. "I think we'll see many rebel groups pop up from here on out."

Vincent nodded. "They've always been there, Yuffie. ShinRa wasn't always the enemy, but the fighting has always existed in one form or another."

He looked at her then, noting the forlorn expression on her nymph-like features. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "It doesn't do any good to dwell," he whispered. "This is the world we live in. We can't change anything. All we can do is find happiness in our own lives."

"I am happy," she assured him, snuggling against his neck. "The happiest I've ever been."

"Hmph… Me, too."

Footsteps approached from behind then, and the pair turned in unison to see who they belonged to. Reeve Tuesti strode toward them purposefully, wearing a stern expression.

"Vincent. Yuffie." His greeting was stiff, formal.

They stood, as was customary, and waited.

"This arrived today," Reeve said, pulling a sealed envelope from his jacket pocket. He handed the envelope to Vincent who sliced it open with a claw tip. Inside was a formal looking letter with the President's seal at the top. Vincent's eyes scanned the page quickly, then widened. A curt smile formed beneath the collar of his cape.

"What's it say?" Yuffie asked. He handed it to her and waited as she skimmed it. "Oh my- You did it!" she squealed. "You're in! I knew it, I knew it!"

She danced around him excitedly while Reeve's features softened. He laughed and reached into his jacket a second time.

"Your badge," he said, handing the laminated ID card to Vincent. "And your standard issue pistol."

Vincent took the chromed pistol carefully in his hands, admiring it. Finally he turned back to Reeve. "Thank you, Sir. I'm honored."

Reeve nodded. "Make sure you visit our outfitting department sometime today. They'll take measurements for your uniform."

With that, Reeve turned and left Yuffie and Vincent alone again. Vincent aimed the pistol up, feeling the weight of it in his hand. It was a well-made handgun, a worthy sidearm.

"I'm so proud of you," Yuffie said, hugging him. He holstered the pistol quickly and put his arms around her.

"I couldn't have done it without you," he said.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she teased. "I am, after all, the best damn ninja in the world!"

Vincent laughed. "Yes, you are. Come back here." He pulled her against him and cradled her face in his hand as he kissed her.

A FEW DAYS LATER…

Agent True shook her head at the latest report from ShinRa's Terror Control Department. Three new rebel groups had been unearthed in the past two months. It was chaos.

The door to her office creaked and she looked up to find Reno standing there. "Hey, we're gonna be late. Rude's got the car waiting for us downstairs."

Nodding, she turned off the computer and rose from the desk. Reno put his arm around her once she reached him. "Long day, huh?"

"It just never stops," she replied.

"Hey, we call that job security, babe! Don't sweat it!"

True laughed then, despite herself. "You're right. Sorry. So what time does the party start, again?"

"Six sharp."

"That doesn't give me time to change."

Reno stopped her then, and moved to face her, setting his hands on her shoulders. "You look gorgeous," he said. She blushed as he kissed her.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Oh, I almost forgot. Did you pick up the gift?"

Reno rubbed his hands together. "I sure did."

The party was in full swing when True and Reno entered the Seventh Heaven. Familiar faces greeted them as they made their way through the crowded bar. Everybody from the original Avalanche group to members from ShinRa administration had come to celebrate Vincent's acceptance into the Turks.

Reno scanned the bar for Yuffie, clutching the gift with sweaty hands. True leaned toward him.

"Over there, at the bar," she whispered. Reno nodded, but stood frozen in place, eyeing Yuffie cautiously. She hadn't seen him yet. "Well, go on," True urged him. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

She kissed him gently before giving him a little shove toward the bar, and Yuffie.

The slender ninja was sitting beside Cloud and Shelke, retelling the story of her capture and rescue from the New-AVALANCHE base. She was dressed in a soft violet kimono with a butterfly pattern and royal blue obi. Decorative antique hair ornaments shimmered at the slightest movement of her head, reflecting light in a way that reminded him of a waterfall.

Reno cleared his throat when he reached the bar, making Yuffie turn. Immediately her smile faded. Cloud and Shelke excused themselves quickly and disappeared into the crowd.

"Hi, Yuffie," Reno offered morosely.

She made no response, but stared at him impatiently.

"I, uh… Brought you something. I guess you could call it a peace offering." He offered her the small box which she took reluctantly.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to sound uninterested.

"Just open it. Come on, give me a chance."

Shaking her head, Yuffie tugged at the ribbon and lifted the top of the box. Her eyes flew wide then, and she gasped. "Is this what I _think _it is?"

Reno nodded. "Flare materia. Just about the most powerful magic material there is, besides maybe Ultima."

Yuffie's smile was slowly returning as she ogled the precious orb. "How did you get this?"

Shrugging, Reno said, "I had to pull a few strings before ShinRa would even consider selling it to me. But I hoped it would be worth it… Do you like it?"

"Like it? It's… It's awesome! I don't know what to say…"

Reno lowered his gaze to the floor. "Say you'll forgive me," he whispered.

Yuffie took a deep breath. "I… Okay, Reno. I forgive you. But only if you promise you'll never do anything like that ever again."

"I promise, Yuffie. Believe me, I've never felt so terrible in all my life. You and Vincent are my friends… I never wanted to hurt either of you. I don't know what got into me. I'm a total ass."

"You _are_ an ass," Yuffie laughed. "But you're my friend. Maybe now Vincent will stop nagging me to call you."

Reno looked up then. "He... He did that?"

Nodding, Yuffie sighed. "Yup."

"Typical Vincent," he muttered. "Always trying to make peace. Doesn't that get on your nerves?"

"I've had four years to get to know him… Even with all his quirks, I know he's the one for me."

Reno spotted Vincent chatting with Tseng and Elena and smiled. "Well, you could do a lot worse."

Yuffie put a hand on his shoulder. "You're a great guy, Reno. I think you're going to make True really happy."

"Thanks, Yuffers. I hope you're right. Well, I'd better go find her before she starts thinking you and I eloped or something."

Yuffie biffed him gently, and they both laughed. "Thanks for the material, Reno. And for the apology."

"You're welcome. Well, adios." His confidence returned, Reno headed back into the crowd to find his date.

A moment later, Yuffie felt a warm breath against the back of her neck. She smiled as Vincent's arms came around her from behind, and she leaned back against him. "Hello," she said, looking at him upside-down.

"Hello," he replied. "Having fun?"

"Of course!"

Vincent's eyes fell upon the gift in her hands. "What've you got there?" he inquired.

"A peace offering," she said, smiling. "From Reno."

Vincent seemed surprised. "Are things alright between you now?"

"Yeah, we're good. I'm not really big on holding grudges, anyway."

Vincent chuckled. "Especially when material is involved, eh?"

"Nuk-nyuk-nyuk. Well, it doesn't hurt."

"At least I know what to get you when you're upset with _me_," he said.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "I don't think I could ever get mad at you, Vince."

"I hope that proves true. However, it never hurts to have a back-up plan."

Yuffie turned around on her barstool then and gave him a proper hug. "I love you, Vincent."

Vincent felt his heart skip, then held her more tightly. "I love _you_, Yuffie."

Letting his lips skim along her neck, he took her by surprise in a long, passionate kiss. As their mouths moved together, a loud whooping cheer rose from the crowd of party guests behind them.

Breaking the kiss, Vincent and Yuffie turned to face the onlookers with sheepish grins.

At that moment, Vincent somehow knew things were going to be alright from now on. He'd earned a prestigious appointment within the largest corporation in the world, and at last claimed the heart of the only woman who ever truly understood and accepted him.

_Yes, _he thought. _This is what it feels like to be happy. _

The End


End file.
